And You?
by Mira Nova 23
Summary: Post-Ceremonial Duel; some indeterminate time later: Mai has married Seto, much to Joey's dismay. But what can really be done about a love triangle where choices have already been made? (8 chapters. Contains: arrogantshipping, polarshipping, violetshipping, bisexuality, polyamory, ettushipping, polyship, suggestive adult themes) ACTIVE
1. ONE

_Bet you didn't count on my return..._

Okay, so. I'm 29 now. I have a Tangled multi-chapter I should be working on (Broken Dreams). But, like I said, I'm 29, and Dark Side of Dimensions brought Yu-Gi-Oh! back from the dead. I've been away from Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction since 2008. I've read a couple fics and a bunch of RP's from people via Tumblr (kaiba-fangirl, come find me!), but basically I've been out of this fanfiction loop for nearly a decade. I'm an oldie, but I don't know how things are done around here anymore. Tropes? Cliches? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ I learned my Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction from its golden age of 2003-2006, but at least my writing has to have improved. Just call it old-school.

Still, so much has happened since then. I'm here with this story for a very specific purpose. I've kept different-canon discrepancies vague, as well as timeline placement. Like most people, I follow my own unique blend of canons. So, please don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't worry about things not lining up with the manga/anime/movies/spinoffs. We're Post-Ceremonial Duel, but that's about it. Anyway, enjoy your crappy anime fanfic...

 _Cuz now I'm back._

* * *

 **ONE**

Joey woke up amid messy covers, still as frustrated as he had fallen asleep. Despite that though, he felt too lazy to get out of his warm, quiet, comfy bed just yet. He rolled over, and tapped a key to wake his laptop up. His feed took forever to refresh, but he waited, rubbing his eyes. He wanted only to compulsively fill his mind with some kind of distraction for the morning. The page finally finished loading, but it took another moment for the very first posts' words to register meaning in his mind. _-no... it can't be..._

He propped himself up on his elbows on a tuft of the comforter. His dog tags fell from where they had stuck to his shoulder, the cold side of the metal chain gently brushing against his bare chest. He rubbed his eyes again and read the lines again.

_  
 **Mai Valentine** _changed her name to_ **Mai Kaiba**.  
_

 **Mai Valentine** _got married!_  
_

Joey felt his heart thud and thump to a stop. Then, just as suddenly, it began _racing,_ only his blood felt thick. He picked his head up, cheeks flushed, throat tight, and his limp hands slowly retreated from the laptop.

 _Just... just like dat? Dat's it?_ His mind buzzed with a flurry of questions, and conflicting cries of emotion twisted his gut. _Dat's not how it was supposed to happen- I'm spose'dta make it big & she'll be impressed, and den we'll finally really be together! How dare Kaiba take HER away from me, too! - She was never mine and she could never be... - But I didn't think Kaiba even liked girls? D'ohhh, how could Mai go for dat jerk?! - I guess Rich Boy'll take care ah her, though._ "Urrrgh..." He screwed his eyes shut and pulled at his hair as he rolled back over in agony. _I hate dem BOTH! So much!_ But his arms quickly went limp from the useless adrenaline rush, and lay sprawled above his head.

Mai was hardly ever online; or at least, not that he knew of. He had never interacted with her online, but did try to futilely keep up with her life. She always posted a lot of pictures, but they only offered more questions than answers to him. This was out of nowhere. What was more, was the "couple" in Domino? He had no clue. _Maybe dey'll at least have the decency to go live on a tropical island far away somewhere, so I never have to see either of 'em ever again..._

It was another rough and lonely morning, like the rough and lonely night.

* * *

"There's nothing to pull more girls in," Mai complained.

She shifted to a power stance in a pale blue skirt suit, accentuating her hourglass figure. Her sharp lapels flared wide, revealing a tight, smooth, black satin sweetheart-shaped corset, which revealed even more of her with how low-cut it was. Her long blonde hair still flowed around her in a meticulously styled mane. Her makeup highlighted her violet eyes and every feminine feature of her face, framed with large silver dangling metal feathers. Her open-short-boot style heels were strappy, with a thin stiletto and covered toes. They showcased her tender muscular curves all the way up her legs.

"There's nothing inherently 'boyish' about it, either," Seto defended, trying not to sneer.

He sunk back further into his black leather executive desk chair, gripping the armrests and crossing his legs. He wore a deep dark purple 3-piece suit. The silk fabric shimmered in the light, against black wide-peaked lapels and accents. A stark white dress shirt underneath it all stood out at his neck, chest, and where the cuffs showed beneath the jacket. His silk tie sparkled with flecks of white amidst the busy purple swirl pattern on a black background; it almost looked like a galaxy image.

"Well _I_ know that," she smirked at him. "But the audience we're _missing_ doesn't realize that." She waved her hand at the holographic slides to bring up the next one, a set of pie graphs and bar graphs with various labels and percentages. However, the whole board room was still brightly lit both from the above fluorescents and the wall of windows looking out to the city of Domino. The same set of holographic slides was illuminated on the conference table for each of the dozen or so board members sitting around it.

Seto sat with his back to the windows, to the left of the head, so Mai could have the front for her presentation. "So what do you suggest?" he sighed. Any board member would say he looked completely disinterested; forced to sit through this.

"You just have to make it more popular amongst girls," Mai shrugged with her hands out. "Socially acceptable. Make it _cool_ , for _them_."

Seto cringed, unsure how to do such a thing, and ready to bite the first person to just say 'Make it pink.' _Well, hot neon pink is fine. Just not... like... powdery pink with flowers?_ He nearly shuddered at the thought of stickers on his own Duel Disk.

A small voice came to life from elsewhere at the table. "Well, the Duel Disk does only come in one color combination..."

Both Seto's and Mai's eyes rolled to the back of their heads.

Mai spoke up first. "You can go right ahead and make them in different colors, but that is not what I am talking about."

"I agree," Seto chimed in. "But Mai, if you're talking about the cards-"

"I _know_ what I'm _talking about,_ " she retorted. "It's not the cards. It's the image. Kaiba Corp is the only reason the game is as popular as it is today. Kaiba Corp controls the _image_ of Duel Monsters. The cultural perception. That's the key to changing the world's mind about something. It's not just little girls who are not interested in stimulating games of wits, it's that no one in their lives is actively encouraging them."

Seto's eyes flicked from Mai to the rest of the muttering table of boring faces. He allowed the deliberation, then turned back to Mai, as he reclined in his seat. "And just how do you plan to do that?" He smiled, but harshly.

She shot a cheerful but confident look right back at him. "Accessories."

The table gasped and whispered again.

"And ad campaigns," she went on. "Accessories and merchandise for girls, as well as boys, and gender neutral, _and_ older duelists."

Seto shifted in his seat, and his smile turned to intrigue.

"Seto," she challenged him directly and their eyes flashed, "You have custom-designed clothes, personal electronics, heck even your _plane_ is inspired by your Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

His eyes narrowed farther, smug but bemused. "A jet is hardly an _accessory._ "

"Hm, no, but this is." She lifted her purse from under the table and placed it on top, then spun it around. It was a large, boxy, white leather thing, outlined with silver studs and an elegantly smooth silver KC emblem fixed to one side. The handle buckles were the same smooth silver, and just inside the red satin lining peaked into sight. Seto's eyes widened and poured over the design and craftsmanship.

Mai continued, "This is just a sample of the designs you'll find in these mock catalogs." A new collection of slides popped up in front of everyone's displays, and automatically flipped through themselves. Mai also pulled out a pile of thin booklet reports, and tossed them out at the table. Everyone either scrambled for one of the booklets, or was mesmerized by their projected screens. Seto snatched his up before it stopped sliding across the table, but instead chose to manually flip through the slides, enlarging certain images before quickly skipping to others.

"Kaiba Corp is a _brand,_ " Mai narrated. "If people like the brand for other reasons it will get and keep people interested in our main center of business – Gaming tech."

Seto's eyes glinted as he smirked at her. "Well, _Miss Valentine,_ " he emphasized, "It looks like you've got your work cut out for you."

The other suits all gasped and looked to him.

"Because I'd be thrilled to further expand the KC household name," he said in a threatening monotone.

Suddenly the suits were eager to voice their support. "These designs are spot on!" "These don't even look like they're for a man or a woman!"

Mai's eyes shone with confidence and pride. "Thank you, _Mr. Kaiba,_ " she hummed with a seductively coy voice.

Seto turned his head toward the rest of the table, but shot Mai a fiendish look. With his elbows on the table, he wove his fingers together in front of his mouth; an unnecessary attempt to hide their dalliance. _Unfortunately, perhaps next time I should not sit in on her presentations. She's right on the money, but maybe then she could get some_ honestly _positive feedback. What, do I have to award 'genuine participation' points or something?_ He shifted in his seat and smacked one hand down on the table. "Alright, well then, shall we begin."

* * *

Joey found himself moping around the mall, surrounded by his friends' happy faces.

"Joey, is everything okay?" Yugi whispered, while the others were gripped by laughter over whatever they had been joking about.

Joey looked down at him in surprise, but then figured it was just like him to be the one to notice, and to ask him discreetly. He smiled darkly but hung his head, his bangs falling over his eyes. "Just found out dat my worst enemy just married da love ah my life, is all."

The laughter petered out just in time for everyone to hear him. Yugi's brow pinched farther, but Tea and Tristan smirked.

"Wow, didn't realize you actually thought of Kaiba as the love of your life," Tea teased.

"Though, it does make sense that Mai is your worst enemy," Tristan chimed in, mockingly stroking his chin.

Joey jumped into an attack stance and grabbed Tristan in a headlock. "Ngh! You guys take dat back! You know what I meant!" _And am I really dat out of the loop? DO they know more dan me? About what's been goin' on with 'em?_

"Hey, Joey! Stop it!" Yugi whined and tugged at Joey's arm, to no avail, but he tried to explain. "Joey, it was a couple months ago! We didn't bring it up to you because, well," he gave up trying to pull him off of Tristan. "We all know how you feel..."

Joey felt his face burn red, but he only grimaced further.

"Comon, guuuys!" Yugi stood at the ready, hands up in anticipation. However, his face contorted in worry, knowing he was physically no match for these two.

Tea giggled, Yugi sighed, but Tristan fought back. "She's no good for ya, man!"

"I'll show ya what's not good for me!" They twisted around, but Joey trapped him in another hold.

"And _clearly_ , she's still into rich guys!"

" _Hot_ rich guys," Tea pointed out with her fountain drink. She leaned back in her seat and took another sip, watching the spectacle.

"Hey!" Joey whipped his attention to her, as Tristan struggled in his grasp. "I'm every bit as _hot_ as _Kaiba!_ "

Tea nearly spit her drink out, but covered her mouth and set the cup down in time. She turned away to hid her shocked, ongoing, giggle.

Only Yugi noticed. "Ah, Tea!" He looked back and forth between Tea and Joey, respectively feeling awkward and pensive between them now.

"C'mon, dude!" Tristan whined. "How many times has Mai beaten you?!"

"Uh, NOT AH ONE!?"

Tristan yanked Joey's arm away from him. "Then explain to me how we found your limp body in that parking lot, right next to Valon!"

Joey shoved him away to the ground. "She didn't _beat me!_ " he sneered. "I lost cuz I collapsed."

"That happens to you a lot, huh?" Tea piped up.

"Still sounds like she beatcha then," Tristan continued antagonizing even as he sat up on the floor and rubbed his neck.

"I've told you, I had da upper hand, but I was exhausted from fightin' Valon. I don't even think Yuge's gone two rounds in a row with Shadow Games!"

"Er, not... really..." Yugi squeaked, nervously sinking back down to his seat, embarrassed to remind anyone of the whole truth.

Joey stood up tall and clenched his fist, looking far off somewhere. "I saved her, didn't I? And dat's all I needed from dat duel." He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away.

"Ah-!" Yugi reached out and lurched to go chase after him, but ultimately thought it better to let him go try to cool himself off.

* * *

"So _this_ is what you've been working on in secret all this time," Seto smirked at her and jostled her elbow with his, as they walked out of the elevator and into the parking garage. His suit jacket was draped over his arm, the tight slim cut of the white dress shirt as it and the vest stretched across his chest and around his arms, showing off outlines of muscle form. He removed his other hand from his pocket to lightly wrap his arm around her waist.

"Mm-hm!" Mai soaked up the praise, securing her white pea-coat belt tight. "I _knew_ you'd go for it, but I didn't want it to be _too_ easy of a sell."

"Hm," Seto smiled. "This sounds like it'll be a whole new department, and it'll require an expansion of the marketing division..."

Mai nodded.

"But you'll have all the funding you need," he went on. "How much space?" He pulled out his phone and started texting.

"Oh, uh..." she looked around, trying to come up with an immediate answer, or at least something to stall while she thought.

"I'm checking with Mokuba about how many floors are still open in the annex."

"What?" Mai's eyes went wide.

"Your new department will need at least what, 2 floors? Or more? Maybe just to start."

"Seto..." she gasped, and stopped walking.

He turned back with a cheeky, knowing smirk, but could not meet her eyes. _'Do you have any idea how long it took me to design that software?!'_ He blinked slowly and jerked his head to finally face her in the moment again. "What did you _think_ I'd be doing with your ideas?"

"My own-?!" She covered her mouth for a moment. "Oh my..." She flung her arms around his neck to hug him, startling him. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" He reciprocated the hug, albeit with stiff surprise, but she kept it short. Her grin spread ear to ear. "This has been one of my _dreams_ -"

"Fashion designer. I remember," he interrupted, nodding at the small memory of when she had revealed that during a quiet game one night.

"Yes!" She bubbled over as she jumped in the air. "Oh my goodness and my own department?! In Kaiba Corp?! Hee-hee! Fashion world, here I come!"

Seto smiled, small and uneasily, chuckling a little at her enthusiasm but stepping away.

"Oh, I love you!" Her arms fell over him again, shocking him again with the burst of elation. Suddenly she kissed him, burning his lips and popping his eyes wider, but he quickly eased into it and hugged her back dearly.

The kiss was quick, but they still stood with their arms around each other. " _You_ did all the work," he affirmed. The heat from her sent a ray of warmth through him, and he felt it wear down his edges yet again. He took a step forward so that she had to lean back, into his arms supporting her back, fingers digging into her coat. "I'm just the ruthless businessman who's got you in my clutches," he teased with a malevolent glare. She laughed playfully as she locked her hands behind his neck. He purposely let a cool breath tickle her ear.

"But the opportunity!" she exclaimed in a squeal, too jubilant to even play along. "Oh! Only people like _you_ can actually make these things come true! Everyone has dreams, but not the _dollars!_ "

He quietly took in her perspective, and nodded. He stood up straight and helped her regain her balance.

"Thank you, Hun." She calmed down once again. "For everything," she added softly.

He smiled flippantly, one shoulder twitching with a shrug. "It's nothing." Then he turned on a mock seriousness. "However, I will require my own customized briefcase."

"Of course," she giggled.

The car pulled up and she turned toward it, clutching her bag. Seto resumed his stoic melancholy, but still pointedly opened the door for her and she climbed in. He leaned on the car roof and top of the door, bending down. "I'll see you at home, then?"

"Yeah," she answered, "Though I'll probably stop to go shopping somewhere. Gotta get cute new office supplies after all! And maybe more material... But yeah, see ya tonight."

He nodded, as bored with the list as she had suspected. "I've got more stuff to work on here."

Realty negotiations sounded just as boring to her. "Okay," she beamed as they pecked good-bye again. "Love you."

"Love you, too." He closed the door and watched the car drive away. He re-donned his jacket, before turning to head back in, sifting through her words in his thoughts. _...opportunity..._

* * *

So how was my first crapshot swan dive back into this? Come find me on Tumblr kaiba-fangirl!


	2. TWO

**TWO**

The street level of Kaiba Corp Headquarters functioned as an ever-evolving, mini World's Fair. The general public was always welcome to preview showcases of in-progress innovations, as well as explore and interact with the latest technology. Visitors freely came and went and wandered throughout the space, whether for the experience, or for the help desk servicing Kaiba Corp branded devices.

Glass walls soared up the first 120 feet, or 7 stories, protruding a glass-ceilinged conservatory out of the lobby. Entrances surrounded the lobby, but in one back corner, just three desks and turnstiles cordoned off the elevators to the upper floors. The vast and airy atrium featured real sculptures of dragons either hanging midair in flight, or perched around randomly. Any solid walls inside were actually 4K video walls, continuously showing breathtaking displays of dramatic scapes or computer generated illusions. These easily drew in audiences as a simple yet always changing favorite.

Joey, however, frantically sprinted through one of the side doors into this main lobby because it was the fastest route. His backpack jostled around on just one shoulder, chest huffing. As he ran, he juggled getting his jean jacket off, shoving it into his bag, and whipping out his Duel Disk. He fumbled with attaching it and trying to avoid crashing into anyone, apologies spurting from his mouth anyway.

Tower Records had a partnership with Kaiba Corp to sell their products and look just like one of their cafes, although it was truly owned and operated by KC. The baristas were actually KC employees. The cafe was located in the backside of the building, a separate cozy place sectioned off with its own single story of floor to ceiling windows and doors. One set of doors, with a card swipe lock, lead out to the narrow hallway of elevators on one side. The other set lead to the main lobby around the glass corner.

Joey jerked one of those doors opened as fast as he could, then continued speed-walking to the back, trying to catch his breath, trying not to think.

* * *

Mai wandered through the office supply store. Now that she truly never had to worry about money, she would, besides indulging in luxury and creature comforts, also peruse middle class stores, enjoying how she could buy anything there without even looking at the price. Still, her passion for strategic winning translated well as being naturally business-minded. While she had come to the store to shop for a new office, she ended up checking out any Duel Monsters merchandise they had.

As she had already learned, most Duel Monsters products were relegated to the children's sections, specifically with the "boys'" items. She shook her head in bemusement. The aisle was also trashed from a Back to School sale.

She sifted through what seemed to be the most popular items. Folders, pencils, notebooks, backpacks, and binders were scattered about, yet still sharply divided from another section of the aisle which emanated its own glow of pink. It came from My Little Ponies, Sailor Moon, Lisa Frank, Disney Princesses, etc. The Duel Monsters items were accompanied by monster trucks, Transformers, Pirates, Avengers and other Marvel properties. Mai frowned at it all, and channeled her disgust into kicking a hard pencil case across the floor.

As for the Duel Monster products themselves, they featured various designs such as the back of a card, pictures of popular monsters, and photos of Seto and/or Yugi, accompanied by bursts of saturated primary colors. Mai picked through anyway. She found lots of Blue-Eyes White Dragons and Dark Magicians, Toon monsters and Exodias, Obelisks and Slifers, and even Gandora. She shuffled through the folders quickly, but the edge of one caught her eye. It looked like the wing of a black dragon, yet slightly different than the Gandora one. She bent down and pulled it out, only to gasp at what she saw. "R-red-Eyes..." Yet it was brown ones she remembered now. Her heart pumped the familiar emotions through before she could even bring forth his name in her mind. _Joey..._

Suddenly she became very aware of the ring on her finger. Her memories of Joey flashed before her eyes, voices and locales overlapping and swirling, all together making her dizzy. She took a deep breath, pushing them all back and regaining her equilibrium as she held onto a shelf and stood back up.

She stared down at the folder she held in what did not feel like her own hand. _He... won that at Duelist Kingdom. In that duel with Rex. That I had pushed them into._ A smile tugged at her, but could not quite come forth. _I was so angry,_ she thought, though she felt like laughing at the situation now. _But then everything changed-_ they _changed me... And he –... He saved me. So many times._ She felt the same peace wash over her that he had brought her all those times back then. _He stuck up for me. He caught me. He shielded me. Serenity told me how he fought for me. Then he was the only one upset when we played our little prank. He- tried to get me to see..._ She grimaced, reliving just how heavy of a memory that was in her arms. _And I attacked you... 'for some madman who promised me power.'_ She felt tears threaten to well up.

Her violet eyes flicked over to the other dragon. Once just a logo that made her roll her eyes and invited smack talk, it now was a symbol that represented the vast network of safety that enveloped her, one of the few in its inner circle. It inundated every aspect of her daily life. It was on her ID. It guarded where she worked. It flooded her house. It represented _home._ It had changed.

Yet, she could not face half the photos around on the other merchandise, nor could she close her eyes and face the other visage in her mind's eye. So her eyes ran away, down the aisle into the pink abyss, to try to collect herself, to try to figure out what she was feeling. _Why is this...? Why? What is this? They've both surprised me. One no less than the other. What does it matter if some stupid folder reminds me of either of them? Who've been so good to me?_ Without looking, she grabbed the Blue-Eyes folder in the same hand that held the Red-Eyes, tossed them both in the basket, and strode to the register.

* * *

"Afternoon, ma'am. How can I help ya?" Joey leaned one arm on his register, smiling to the young woman mulling over her coffee order, and ignoring the tickling in his nose. He listened intently as she fumbled out what she uncertainly wanted. Yet, he nodded confidently. "For here or ta go?" His fingers deftly spun a sharpie around, then marked a cup up. "Ah-" Suddenly, he slammed the pen and cup down on the counter, and dashed back behind the kitchen doors.

He sneezed three times. Stunned and bewildered, but satisfied, he leaned over, hands on his knees, staring into space, trying not to lose his breath... _What...? It's just a superstition, but- could it be?!_

* * *

Seto sat in his work office with a thick red marker, yellow highlighter, mechanical pencil, laptop, and multiple copies of Mai's mock catalogs. In part of her proposal work up, a paragraph about showcasing included the phrase, "modeled by top duelists." He highlighted "top duelist," drew an arrow to the side, then switched to the pencil, but paused.

 _Yugi and I? And does Mai expect to model for this herself? Well, given our aim with this, it should be at least two men and two women._ He wrote down a list of "1., 2., 3., 4.," then paused again. On his laptop, he quickly typed and pulled up the latest worldwide rankings. Reluctantly, he wrote in "Yugi" next to 1. Next was him, but he frowned at the idea of modeling merch like this for product shots. In parentheses, he wrote in "(Kaiba)" next to 2. Third worldwide was Leon, but he had very publicly retired, after having very obviously cheated. Marik Ishtar was next. _NO._ He kept scrolling. Joey Wheeler and his profile, along with a headshot, took over his screen.

He blinked back at the goofy smile and peace sign the pictured blonde held up. A whole kaleidoscope of ideas and emotions, thoughts and feelings, all came in a flash of light, swirling in his mind. His eyes flicked back to his list. _If not me, then... him..._ The whirlpool compounded, sucking him down under.

He pushed the papers away, closed the laptop, and simply glared at a perpetual motion balance toy on his desk. There were ball bearings along a series of rings that spun and swung back and forth around each other. He stared at it til he no longer saw it, but could visualize his own thoughts and hear himself clearly.

 _Joey Wheeler. He's been a part of my rivalry with Yugi all this time... Why? Why did I give him a job downstairs? –what_ part _is he?– I hated him right from the start – but if I'm being honest, I know that's not entirely true. There's more to it than that._ He slowly reviewed every significant moment he could think of, and tried to recall what he was telling himself during all those times.

 _'He's a bad student.' If he'd just apply himself, he could improve his station–_ He paused as he recognized the shape. _Gozaburo..._

 _What else..._

 _'Loser dog.'_ His chest sunk and he flinched forward as the intersecting memories clicked. He listened to himself say the words out loud in his mind, the words that had sat in his heart for as long as he had known Duel Monsters, for as long as he had been a Kaiba. But up until he had found that last Blue-Eyes card, had been pointed inward. A finger unconsciously latched around the neck of his tie and he tugged to loosen it, before taking a deep breath and remembering himself. _Again... Why do I refer to him as I was?!_

 _NO. I'm not._ He let go of the tie and straightened the knot. His hand then glided down his chest, and slipped a lanyard out from under his jacket lapels, to clutch the locket hanging on it. Carefully, he slowly brought forth the memory of the collar, leash and crop on his body. _Yes. That happened. It was awful and wrong._ It stung, and he held fast onto the hurt, before forcing another breath through his lungs. Then he put it back in the past and refocused. _Now why did I do that to_ Joey? He saw his determined face before his eyes. He saw him always get back up. From another angle, he saw Joey's hatred for him, reactionary because Seto knew he had started 99% of it.

 _Second in Duelist Kingdom. Fourth in Battle City. One of only us three in that Paradisa incident. 'Someone like him should_ not _have made it this far!'_ He closed his eyes, hearing his own voice as an enemy, hearing his voice match and lay perfectly over his stepfather's. _By all means, anyone else would say_ I _should not have made it this far..._

 _I've always rejected all of their attempts at 'friendship,' but why?_ Really, _why? I mean, other than their saccharine methods of pushing their cotton-candy, idiocratic, hypocritical,_ bullshit _brand of 'FRIENDSHIP!' on me–! ...but any kind of friendly connections – I've rejected it all..._ He frowned, reciting a list compiled from a textbook. _Borderline. Narcissistic. Schizotypal._ He scoffed at the last one. Then, he shoved all the clinical words aside, and, with a deep breath, simply let himself feel...

 _I wanted that connection?_ Again, he stumbled over the void he always refused to acknowledge. A black hole that hurt more than anything – so excruciating that he could not comprehend it. It snapped him out of his meditation with a grunt. Breathing heavy and trying to stave off slipping over the edge into a panic attack, he looked desperately to the latest bookshelf in his office: Psychology.

 _'This is why you have no friends, Kaiba.'_ He walked over and skimmed the shelves full of textbooks and magazines. _Why? What is Joey to me?_

He briefly recalled relevant info from each book his eyes grazed over. _I rejected even their best attempts because I am afraid of being rejected.. We were rejected by everyone – if family means so little to others, then why should friends be any better? Gozaburo even rejected his own biological son, nevermind us. I could only ever rely on myself – yet the dweeb squad has proved reliable time and again..._

 _Any attachments were ripped from me – So I made no new attachments._

One book in particular made him grunt out a little chuckle. It had turned out to be more about romantic relationships than he had expected. _You pick on those you see your own likable qualities in..._ He recalled in paraphrase of the topic. _A crush..._

...a CRUSH?

 _Joey is attractive- the conventional slim hips, muscular, annoyingly always charming smile, lush blonde hair. In fact, despite his 'jock-look' and severe dearth of leather or straps..._ He had to admit he was very hot. _On the other hand, he's also so Loud. Obnoxious. Happy-Go-Lucky._ Seto could feel the rage building at the mere thought. But he caught himself and stopped. _Why...?! Why does he get under my skin like this?_

 _He's socially outgoing._

 _He's forgiving._

 _He's hard-headed, stubborn, a good big brother._ A smile quirked on his face.

 _He wears his heart on his sleeve._

 _And I hate all that – cuz I could never._ He frowned and hung his head. His hand reached out, running over the book spines, before it flopped down to the black laminate shelf. _My heart... Will I ever finish it? I've read all the books I could find... Maybe what works for him won't work for me._ The more he thought about it, the more he could touch the images in his mind. _I know I didn't marry Mai to complete my heart, but to add a layer of stability to my life. She since has gotten me to actually warm up to her. I would say I am actually happy there... But is there more?_

He turned back to his desk, thought to grab his desk phone, but instead picked up his cell phone and speed dialed. "Roland, I need you to find me everything you can on Joey Wheeler."

 _"Ah~h! Y-yes, sir! We did do an extensive background check on all the contestants for the Kaiba Grand Prix, but I'll see what else I can find, sir."_

"Whatever you have to do."

* * *

This one Joey did not expect coming on. He stood, almost bored, at the latte machine, steaming a metal cup of milk, when suddenly it felt like his head was beginning to explode. He dropped the cup as he jerked into the first sneeze while turning around and dipping down into a crouch. Another sneeze immediately overtook him. He waited for more, teetering on the edge. Finally, the third one came through, and it was settled. _What the fuck now- where did that come from?!_

* * *

Come find me on Tumblr kaiba-fangirl!


	3. THREE

**A/N: Chapter-Specific Warnings:**

-panic attack  
-reference to past child abuse  
-reference to past suicidal thoughts 

For those of you who know the general overview of this story's course, don't get excited at the end. This isn't that part. Still, it kinda just popped out and felt needed. I tried to shuffle it around in scene order, but just couldn't cut it to anywhere else. 

* * *

**THREE**

 _playlist on YouTube at EttuCh3- THREE_

Mai jumped out of bed a little too zealously, in her attempt to get to the bathroom, in her attempt to not bother Seto, to not cry in front of him, to not worry him... To just get to the bathroom, to try to decipher what she had woken up to her mind flinging at her. Anything was better than staying hiding in the dark under the covers.

Seto automatically turned and leaned up in bed facing the disturbance, before he even realized he was moving, before he could even open his eyes to see. By the time he fluttered them open enough and had barely focused, he only just caught sight of Mai's shadow, surrounded by fluorescent lighting, closing the bathroom door behind her. It was quite a few more moments before his froggy voice activated to croak out, "Mai?"

No response.

He groaned as he tossed the covers off and wearing only boxers, lumbered through the dark over to the thin line of light shining from under the door. "Mai?" He pressed on the door, but she had fully clicked it shut. Even through grogginess, he respectfully did not test the knob, but rather called through gently. "Do you want me to come in..."

He could hear her crying. He leaned against the door, his body desperate to get back to sleep, but his greater duty keeping him there on his feet. Finally, he heard a tiny, defeated, _"Yeah..."_

Seto opened the door and stumbled in onto tile, immediately grabbing the large slate vanity counter to his side. In front of the counter, Mai sat on the fluffy blue plush rug, her back leaning against the white cabinet. He folded his limbs down and sat beside her, rubbing his eyes and face to focus. "Him again...?"

"Marik," she sobbed.

"It's alright now," he muttered, and purposefully slid his arm around her shoulders. He could look around the same memory with her, but he hardly knew any better how to deal with this than she did. All he knew was how to feel guilty over his once-proud decisions. He threw his head back and sighed.

 _There should have been a fail-safe for surrendering while immobilized.  
All to get the god cards - and then? What for? They're gone now. Waste.  
She, too, had to reconstruct her heart and mind after that...  
-but then again...  
Now there IS a fail safe.  
Now all that Egyptian paraphernalia is GONE.  
And she had the SAME doctor as I had, watching over her, and Joey, too..._

His own breath shuddered, remembering his own panic attacks and nightmares. _I have nothing to make this better... But I have to make this better. She's depending on ME to make this better. Why can't I figure this out yet?! There must be something. An antidote, a method for a fix. An equal and opposite reaction..._

Mai felt the paralyzing fear spread beyond her initial nightmare...

Marik had appeared in all his evil glory. His form was that of a wispy, shadowy silhouette with spiked hair, but his eyes burned bright red, his sharp smile shone white, and she knew it was him.

But she did not fear only him, and how he had grabbed her leg in true nightmare fashion. She felt guilty, sitting on the bathroom floor with her husband. She believed he simply was not the one person in the world who could ever permanently heal this nightmare. _Joey..._ At the same time, hurting Joey was the worst thing she had ever done, effectively burning any bridge she saw between them. She groaned out another sob. _This is why there was no one to save me in my dream..._

She and Seto both had to be up early, but instead they were losing sleep, because of her. He had given her everything else, and though he tried, she could only find so much solace in his attempts at comfort. She feared what this guilt would do to them. She had made this choice, and found no reason to regret it. He had made her dreams come true. In him she had found empathy. Yet, try as she might, she could not deny that he had never been the only one in her heart. Time and again, though, given the choice, she decided that his calm and quiet, non-judgmental understanding was enough.

 _Back then..._ Seto zoned out staring blankly at the pattern of the tiles. _Yugi beat Marik,_ he gritted his teeth, _But it was Joey who gave himself for her... Twice._ He bit his lip, realizing he had not thought about such sacrifices in quite a while. _HE'S gotten through to her before..._ He held an exhale himself, for a pang of jealousy. But then, _Now how can I...?_ Frustratingly, he inhaled again with saddening admiration.

Seto closed and pinch-rubbed at his eyes momentarily, skimming his own memories further. "It's not your fault," he repeated after a younger Mokuba. "It- it wasn't fair." The fail safe oversight pierced him again. "Urgh, I should have stopped it. I didn't think it was even real. –but I believe you now." _Mokuba had the translators running, turns out I could read it anyway - I just wanted to see it in action, for extra measure..._ He rubbed his face, annoyed at that piece of himself, but then put it back where it belonged. Less irritated now, he repeated, "I should have stopped him." He sleepily nuzzled at her warm temple, begging forgiveness, begging for her validation of his own regret. He whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry," and kissed her temple. "But you're safe now. That's all over. He's gone, and I swear nothing will ever hurt you again." _Acknowledge it, and move on._

She leaned over into him, sniffling and humming affirmatively. _But can you save me from myself?_ She had meant to show him that she was okay now, but another sob rippled through her with fresh tears.

He pulled her fully into his lap, securing her dearly in an embrace as they sat stacked and cross-legged. His chin rested on her shoulder, turned towards her. "Breathe," he softly ordered.

Giving in to a command was easier than initiating it herself. She finally felt a nearly-full breath enter her lungs. With it, she realized how she had barely been breathing this whole time. His bare body was cool against her overheating, helping stabilize her there as well.

He also appreciated how the contact kept the severe chill of the bathroom at bay for himself. _She's always warmer than me, but this is too much._ Realizing the difference in their temperatures, he placed his icy hands over her hot face. "Breathe," he ordered again.

Again, she slowly breathed in and out.

He closed his own eyes and reflexively tried to focus his energy to calm and collected; tried to will her to curb her overthinking, to ease her stress, to stave off her anxiety. _I've got nothing else to go on. But I can show I give a damn..._

Coming back to her senses bit by bit, Mai noticed the humming of the fluorescent ballasts above pick up considerably.

Seto, however, paid no heed to the dimming, flickering lights. His hands slowly ran over her forehead, through her hair, to the back of her neck. He whispered again in her ear. "It's not your fault. Say it – it's not your fault."

"It's-" _But it IS all my fault..._ "If it's not mine, then whose?"

"It's ours," he shot out. His hands pressed over her shoulders, til they gave in and relaxed. "It's Marik's. Anyone else's." They moved around her neck and down the center of her chest, as he continued. "But you cannot go on this way. Just say it until you believe it. You have to." He passed on down her sternum, to brush onward to her stomach.

 _Faking strength til it's real? Well, it's worth another shot..._ "It's not my fault," she tried repeating. She felt the soft nylon coils of the rug beneath her legs, where their skin touched at lukewarm areas, where the stiff polyester of his boxers brushed her upper thighs. But she could not help but add in guiltily, "I'm sorry I'm so-"

"Shut up. That's what I'm here for." His hands settled under her belly, locking his fingers and securing his forearms over her hips. "You feel safe here?" he continued, his voice low, deep and soothing, but open-ended.

The combination of his voice, the emotion it carried, and her still-tingling scalp; she felt it affecting her mind, and the tension in her body released. Transcendent waves of a pleasantly pulsating buzz spread throughout from her ears to her brain, and out through every nerve in her body. She nodded against his cheek, her panic finally cooled down, distilled with the knowledge that he had described going through the very same things. She could not place what else he had just done, but she fell back into the comfort of trusting him. _Safe..._ The pervasive atmosphere he had created around them and the mansion, and the air he exuded himself – she suddenly became aware of it all again, and how safe she really did feel. It was more than just her relying on him in these moments; it was a trust that had grown _between_ them. " _...yes,_ " she gasped at last.

"You ARE _safe_ here," he asserted.

"I'm safe here," she at last breathed out. "I am..." _He can bring me back, calm me down, make it go away... But can he_ prevent _it? Can he_ keep _it away?_

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be okay working today?" he asked.

She sighed while watching out the blacked-out window of the town car. Behind her head, his outstretched arm tried to brush some of her hair aside. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She cleared her throat and fussed with her belt a little.

He watched her settle into her Miss Independent facade. _She'll be fine... for now._ He remained turned in toward her from the middle and kept his elbow up on the back of the seat, but his hand retreated to covering his mouth in thought. "Alright then. If you think you'll be okay, I'm going to head back home to work on something."

She blinked while barely glancing at him. "That's okay by me."

Content, he took to watching out the window as well.

They turned the corner heading toward the parking garage, and the red t-shirt caught their eyes, simultaneously hitching their chests, though neither noticed. It was the back of the usual Tower Record Cafe's uniform swag, but with tight skinny jeans, and the undeniable blonde mop on top. He was trudging away from them toward the building's main entrance.

She kept watch to catch a glimpse of his face; his eyes kept running up and down and getting stuck just below his waist. She pried her eyes away, seeming to instead stare at the door panel, and pursed her lips just a moment. He glanced to her, then back to the interior of the car, and cleared his throat. She rubbed her hands together and stuck them under her thighs; the AC was always too high.

"You knew he worked here, right?" he asked carefully, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically flushed.

"Hm? Ah, yeah..." she nodded casually.

On the street, Joey looked over the shoulder his backpack hung crookedly on, thinking he had seen something. The infamous black town car was heading down into the parking garage. He watched on quizzically, wondering which one it was, or if it could be both. _...so late?_ He shrugged it off and tried not to think any more about them; a futile effort.

* * *

Back at the mansion, the home office door was locked. A secret compartment in the wall opened into a pull-out filing drawer. Inside, folders were flung about. Notes had been skimmed and rearranged. Books sorted out, some left lying open. At the bottom, the few artifacts had been rummaged through. A path of all of these sorts of scattered things, in multiple languages, lead to the desk, where a pen had left off creating new notes in pictograms – _but not in Japanese._

Atop the desk, amidst the sprawl of antiquated knowledge, a desktop monitor showed a paused still frame from Battle City Finals footage. A laptop screen showed dozens of tabs, and a popup command line window of code cycling through automatically. The current tab was connected to the private intranet of The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, showing a database of pictures and item info unavailable to the public. Directly in front of the desk chair, a pile of various open books, stacked one on top of another. None looked from this century.

But the pale yellow file folder open on top of it all – the sticker on its tab read "Wheeler, Joey." It was thinner than Seto had hoped.

The first part was the _private investigation_ report Roland had had secretly collected. He rifled through the pages, devouring every bit of data. A series of old addresses, family court dates and outcomes, school grades, official school discipline records, which eventually threatened juvie... A close-up Polaroid of a bruise on an uncooperative child, with unresolved counselor notes below. Altogether these pieces painted a picture Seto had not quite been expecting, but was far from surprised by. Lining up all of the dates clicked it into focus.

 _He was only 10-_ He blinked slowly as he set the first part aside, not allowing his mind to fall too far into that rabbit hole just yet. _10..._ His hand took mercy on his mind and called Roland yet again. _– his sister –_

" _Sir?"_

Only when he heard him answer did he jerk himself out of it. "Get a background check on his father, too."

" _Yes, sir!"_

The second part was another identical folder tucked inside of this one; his work papers from downstairs. His record there was impeccable, outstanding even. It even boasted rave reviews from customers, which had earned him extra swag patches. There were enthusiastic personal notes from his manager, and charts filled out to officially record his exemplary performance. The usual privacy and security forms meant nothing to him, but he did memorize the address on the tax forms, and take note of the lack of dependents. Then, the files abruptly stopped with the last sheet of paper, which was for listing the company-funded university classes he had enrolled in and completed thus far. It was not filled in, save for the initial name, date, and signature.

Seto leaned back in his chair and pinched at his eyes. "You idiot..." _I literally_ handed _it to you._

* * *

Joey was on a lunch break from work at the Tower Records Cafe. In the back room, he grabbed his backpack and fished his phone out. He had a text message from an unknown number, from a couple hours earlier. Unsurprised, he supposed it was a wrong number or an automated spam message. But when he opened it, it simply read, [[Joey?]]

Intrigued, he tried to imagine who it could be. In the meantime, he texted back a generic, [[Who is this?]]

He put the phone away, not expecting a reply for another few hours since it had been so long since he had received it. Before he could even take a bite of his food, though, a reply came through. [[Is this still your number?]]

Now he was confused and had the idea to start getting nervous. Nobody from his Rintama Gang days should have this number. If one of his friends had gotten a new phone, they should be the one to know for sure it was him. For once, caution had him almost drop the whole mystery – almost. He knew he could not answer how he normally would, but he had to figure out who this was. If someone who meant anyone harm was trying to get a hold of him, he wanted to be prepared. He thought out his next move carefully. _Man, I got nothin'._ He volleyed back another, [[Who is this?]], more nervously this time.

[[A friend.]]

 _Well, fuck. DAT's descriptive._ He sighed. [[Do I know you?]]

[[Yes.]]

Enraged, he texted back more characteristically this time. [[IF you were my FRIEND you wouldn't have a problem telling me who the hell you ARE!]] He tossed the phone away from himself a little, and focused on eating.

The next message came in a minute. [[Sorry...]] Joey nodded at it, and thought that would be the end of whoever was trying to play games with him. But in another few minutes, another one came through. [[Can we meet up to talk, Hun?]]

Joey's appetite was banished. _Mai..._ He snatched his phone back and gripped it tightly, but hesitated to type for a split second. He quickly settled on what was most important, though. [[sry- r u ok?!]]

The next 20 seconds were an agonizing eternity til the next one. [[Yes, I'm fine.]] Joey finally breathed again and tried to calm down. [[Thank you for asking ❤]] As long as she was alright, Joey forgot about continuing the conversation until she sent yet another message another minute later. [[Can we meet up to talk in person? If you want – it's up to you. I understand why you might not want to...]]

In his mind's eye, he turned over the idea of meeting up with her. _Dis is gonna hurt..._ But given the opportunity, he could not imagine _not_ going. [[Sure. Of course. When? Where?]]

[[Cafe in the plaza. Tonight?]] [[NO DUEL DISK]]

 _Shit that's soon._ He glanced tohis Duel Disk. _And no Kaiba Corp trackers, eh?_ [[k but I don't believe everything's "fine"]]

[[What do you mean?]]

"Damn it," he cursed out loud, certain Kaiba was to blame for something. [[new #? no DD? -no KC tracking?! Ur sneaking around.]] Quickly, he added, [[aren't you]]

[[I said I'm fine. What time do you get off TRC?]]

His heart was still in an adrenaline-fueled frenzy, and her knowing he worked here did not help. _I've... never seen her around here... I mean I'd assume she's in the building sometimes but I've never seen her on the ground floor. – And how does she know I'm working right now?!_ He gritted his teeth, but reiterated the time she apparently already knew, or at least could have easily found out for herself. [[8]]

[[I'll be waiting. :*]]

[[*sigh* k...]] Joey pushed his food away.

* * *

Joey was just finishing yet another Scapegoat drawing in the foam of a cappuccino order, when he thought he heard yelling in the manager's office. He tried to ignore it, assuming that she was on the phone.

A few minutes later, he heard her clarion, squeaky yet brash voice come through over the din of the cafe. _"FINE!"_ The door brusquely swung open.

"Joey," the manager, Anna, popped into view of the main work are and called him over. She was a cute little thing, and he always enjoyed the changing streak of color she ran through her jet black hair, which would match to her nail polish and shoes. He never knew how she got away with what she did with her uniform: her red polo was a size too small, her skirt always a different variety of black mini goth-style, over radically patterned tights.

Joey stopped his restocking of the front end items, and came right over, certain there was nothing _he_ could be in trouble for. _Maybe it's just the weirder you dress, the more successful you are,_ he had thought on more than one occasion. Also on more than one occasion, Joey had found himself getting lost in ogling that hemline and popped buttons. _But not seriously,_ he would eventually conclude. He may find her hot, but did not feel any kind of click with her. Not to mention the troubles of dating in the workplace. Let alone a higher-up. So he kept it casually buddy-buddy, to offset any unintentional physical attraction. He smiled and gave her a cheery, "'Sup, boss?"

"My office," she sounded bitterly annoyed, " _Now._ "

Joey curiously followed her around the corner over to her office door.

She roughly opened the door handle, but then let go and crassly pointed for Joey to enter ahead of her. Confused, he went on. The manager closed the door right behind Joey, without entering herself.

Looking straight ahead answered Joey simply enough as to why. In the manager's desk chair, and looking rather out of place in the trendy and relatively small 10x10 office, sat his old classmate. He wore his same old black skin tight outfit, complete with all the blue straps, maybe more, and hands unsurprisingly folded in front of his mouth. Joey straightened up and crossed his arms with a crooked frown set upon his features. _Better not be about Mai's texts..._ "What's up, Kaiba?" he merely remained sourly serious, the same as him; he had no good reason to be really nasty. Yet.

Seto did not afford him the mercy of speaking while he looked down at the file; he stared him down right in the eye, enjoying the satisfying excitement from doing so – and from being right about himself. Joey met him back with equal force, even as his heart familiarly jumped to pounding harder. _Why was it so hard to look at beautiful people?_ The room suddenly felt like a cold sweat.

"Why are you not enrolled in any classes?" Seto demanded.

Joey double blinked, taken aback. "Uhhh, _what?_ "

Seto flipped the folder shut and waved it at him threateningly. "CLASSES. College. University."

Realization washed over Joey. He rolled his eyes to the back of his head. Rolled his neck back in indifference. Rolled his tongue around between his teeth. Rolled his shoulders down. Rolled his foot around as his posture slouched back. "Ugh."

" _Wheeeel-errr,_ " Seto complained, annoyed at his attitude.

Finally he gave him his attention again, playing dumb. "What."

Seto forced himself to give the benefit of the doubt. "Are you aware of the tuition program here?" He stood up and stepped around to the side of the desk as he waved the folder around and continued. "You don't even need to pay up front. ALL you have to do is fill out the DAMN PAPERWORK!"

"WHADAYA WANT ME DA SAY, Kaiba?" Joey volleyed back. But Seto remained silent, so he continued, with a weak little cough as he collected his emotions. "I... Heh... I _know,_ awright?" He looked away and bit his lip, head tucked down. "I don't have time."

"Your schedule will be worked around your class times."

Joey threw his head around again. "Look, it's none ah yer business."

"This _is_ MY _business,_ Wheeler," Seto countered.

Joey mimicked his speech rhythm, "But _I_ AIN'T, _Kaiba._ "

Seto dodged the bait for a useless bickering.

Joey scoffed slightly, then rubbed at his nose. His leg betrayed him as well, jiggling nervously as he tried to keep his hands still, hooked around the loops of his jeans, his apron folded out of the way. "Ya know, you..." Suddenly, finally, it hit him that _this_ power struggle, _this_ fight with Seto, was actually him yelling at him to go do something positive for himself, to go to school. Or it was just to fill some stats for how the company looked. Confused and uncertain, he really had to choke everything back then. He bit his lip and shook his head around, looking up to the ceiling then all around.

 _Him and Mai- so high up above everyone up there... I was never gonna make it. Doesn't matter. And what he's talkin about- that wouldn't've been any better. College? I can't do that, even paid for... And what for? Still wouldn't get me that far, compared to- them... DOESN'T MATTER!_ "Why do _you..._ " The strain showed in his voice. "What do you _care?_ " The last word was completely swallowed. Joey was only thankful his face was merely burning, not filling up, as he met Seto's gaze again.

Unexpectedly, Seto's voice was returned softly, "So that you can _make something_ of yourself."

Joey huffed. "Yeah, tha's real _rich_ comin from _you._ "

Seto narrowed his eyes, resenting the attack, but not fully grasping it.

Joey waved his hand out at him. "Just ' _work hard,'_ an I'll 'make it?' Huh? Just like _you_ did?"

Instantly incensed, his eyes turned wide and wild on him. Through clenched teeth, he seethed, " _ **I. DID.**_ " He slapped the folder down viciously on the desk. He kept his voice low and menacing. "And I was _prepared_ to _seize_ the _opportunity_ the moment it – _presented_ itself."

Joey caved. He wanted to end the encounter; he knew he could not win it. "Yeah, but..." he trailed off with a shrug.

"Wheeler," he almost whispered, and then even more quietly, _"Come away from the door."_

Intrigued, Joey walked right up to him, standing straight and tall, with a deadpan face to match the icy chill of Seto's. He had long since conquered any nerves that would hesitate or flee at signs of threats; like Seto's raised voice, unpredictability, and the aggression he took on that folder. He stood too close for Seto to throw a punch, but, ironically it was his cologne that made Joey's head spin and pulse flutter.

 _"Look at me,"_ his voice was more clearly deep and low now. He felt a warm heat grow between them, radiating from Joey since he had stepped up. A thrill washed over him, when Joey did focus more directly on him, and he willed those brown eyes to lock with his. Luckily, in contrast, he had never had any emotions connected to what exactly he was speaking about. "You _know_ what happened. I've had no choice but to _hope_ I could _trust_ all of you with the information you'd learned." He paused to lick his lips, hesitant to go on, now that he knew things about Joey that he, by normal means, should not. " _You_ know _damn well_ how I _earned_ this."

Joey blinked, feeling an odd touch of validation for himself in that declaration. _I do know. But if only_ you _knew..._ Joey hardened his gaze, diving head first deep into his cerulean eyes. "I do know. Ya did what ya had to. I din't say ya din't _earn_ it." He glanced away, thinking about all the parallels he saw here, then returned to his eyes, softening in the discordantly passionate hate he felt there. "Just cuz I resent you," he shook his head, "Doesn't mean I'd take all dis away from you."

He took a step back, not feeling the need to blatantly cohort about the old seizure of Kaiba Corp. "But you _din't_ go ta college. _College_ doesn't get you _here_ ," he gestured to all of him. "We know, it must have sucked, but den you _did_ have dat- dat, _opportunity._ An' _so_ many more, _becawse_ ah your position." He got more animated, but tried to still keep his voice down, as he continued excitedly. "Don'tcha see how lucky you were?! YOU got away!" He abruptly clammed up, not willing to reveal his own similar issues.

 _But 11-year-olds shouldn't be suicidal._ His neck twinged. "You're here to talk about you. Not me."

Joey shook his head. "Nah. I ain't here da talk at all."

Just as Joey turned to leave, Seto sidestepped in front of him, blocking his way. He pressed the folder to his chest. " _College_ doesn't leave you _stuck_ HERE," he sneered, bearing down right in his face.

Instinctively, and from shock, Joey held a hand up to hold the folder to himself. He blinked as he reluctantly lost his breath and train of thought, looking up at him.

"I am _not_ doing it _for_ you. You _want_ something better? _You_ are the one who decides it." With one last little shove into the folder, Seto turned and left himself.

Joey stood there dumbfounded for a moment. From the doorway he watched Seto abruptly leave the cafe, and head straight into the held executive elevator. Seto pressed a button inside, then leaned back and crossed his arms, glaring back out to Joey, before biting his lip and tossing his head to the side.

Only once the elevator doors closed, did Joey fully emerge from the office. Around the corner, he ran right into his manager. "Dah!" he fumbled the folder of loose papers, but recovered. "Geeze.."

"So? Are you FINALLY going to enroll?" she asked, absolutely unamused.

Joey looked straight down at her, still trying to sift out and process all of the feelings from whatever had just happened. "Uhhh..." This close, he noticed how today she even had dramatic hot pink eyeshadow to match her nails and the twin streaks in her pigtails. _Adorable AND bossing me around, heh-_ He caught himself. _What the crap- which is it?! And for that matter, why's HE still actin' like a tease?! He married a woman!_ His jaw clenched unconsciously. _Ugh, either way, even a more normal, er,_ person _? Someone like Anna's level. What would_ they _even want with me?_ He pried his eyes off her chest, replacing mental images of her in just a bra, with thoughts of crawling back to Yugi. He wandered over towards the sink of dishes, having completely forgotten what he was actually working on. "Nah," he sighed heavily, holding the folder back out to her. "I don' think so..."

 _Whatever Mai wants to talk about..._ He shook his head and finally felt tears well up behind his eyes. _It ain't gonna be about how_ I'm _impressin' her in any way..._

* * *

A/N: Well that whole last section was unexpected... Whew. Yay for Spring Break! Now back to homework & Broken Dreams... Aaand a new assignment just came through over e-mail, sooo... Great. Yeah, bout the going back to college... _sigh..._ So glad I'm out of food service, got a B+ on my awesome but just barely incomplete product presentation, and just had my first tour at a penthouse studio. _~whines from the middle~_

Further reading about "what else [Seto] had just done," from the first section? Check out: the wiki page on the Millennium Rod, Reiki and aligning chakras and its history, and binaural beats (need headphones to hear properly). And I guess while you're at it, how fluorescent light tubes work.

Come find me on Tumblr kaiba-fangirl!


	4. Not Only You And Me

**A/N:**...oops. This is probably a bad idea to upload with only 1 skim-through... But it's still Spring Break, I have no impulse control, & I am LOVING this chapter too much to hold out.

I know, I was supposed to be doing design homework. And writing Broken Dreams. And finding a new psychologist and making appointments. But. Well 90% of this was already written and ready to go!

The playlist isn't organized yet, but it's public.

* * *

 **Not Only You And Me**

 _playlist on YouTube at EttuCh4_

Heart pounding and stomach flipping, Joey walked into the fancy cafe's restaurant area, gripping the strap of his backpack over his shoulder. He asked a waitress if someone of Mai's description was there, waiting for someone. As he spoke of her long blonde hair though, he was hit by the fear that she could have changed her appearance and he would not even know. The young woman had a spark of recognition though, and lead him to the back. Joey smiled anxiously, and with a deep breath and a gulp, he followed.

Before he knew it, he spotted Mai's same iconic blonde hair over the waitress's shoulder. But the whole situation did not feel like reality to him.

Mai's face lit up, albeit nervously, when she saw Joey. "Hey," she said quietly. She gave him a little wave, and her full attention.

Joey stood there, frozen. He did not notice the waitress leave, did not notice Mai's greeting, did not notice how long he was awkwardly standing next to his pulled-out seat. _She looks... BETTER._

Mai looked absolutely pristine, the very image of high class – high _business_ class, more elegant than he had ever seen her. Her confidence was back and realer than ever, but she also looked softer than ever. Her dark-colored professional blazer had a tint of blue in it in the low light; probably navy, and the trim all around it was a lighter sky blue. A silver KC brooch ornamented the left side of the jacket. Her blouse beneath it was white and looked silky, hanging loosely upon her bosom, still allowing plenty of cleavage to peak through of course. Silver hoop earrings, her necklace a modernist random shape pendant of silver. With the way she sat angled, Joey could tell she was wearing a matching pencil skirt that came to just above her knee. His mind slid down her smooth crossed legs to complementary-colored pumps.

 _Oh-hoh-ohhh..._ Joey exhaled through his mouth, drinking up how amazing she looked, still looking so much older than him even after he had thought he had matured so much over all this time. He hoped she was still as full-figured as he had seen her before the whole Dartz debacle, but so far it seemed like she was. She looked like she had her life together. She looked powerful. Most importantly, she also looked like she remembered her faculties for compassion. Joey likewise felt his heart swell with happiness that she must indeed be living a great life she was finally happy with.

"Joey?" She asked again, furtively.

Her voice somewhat snapped him out of it. He fumbled hanging his backpack on the chair, then frumped down and scooted it in. "So, uh, how ya doin'?" He safely studied the table. A small menu remained, and she had already finished half of a coffee, but ordered no food yet. His face cringed, hardening as he struggled to focus on the reality before him, and not the memories he was simultaneously, involuntarily, envisioning: _a fancy lobby, spiral staircase, a motorcycle descending from the second story, how he could see her bottom ribs..._

"Joey," Mai tried again, successfully snapping him out of it this time. He at least lifted his eyes to her chest. She smiled at his obvious worry and concern. She cleared her throat a little. "I've been good, thanks." She blushed and glanced down. "But I'm sure you've heard about what I've been up to." She fiddled with the edge of a napkin, her silver wedding ring glinting brightly in the light of their table's hanging lamp.

"I- uh..." His prepared response for whenever Mai was brought up _had been_ to talk about her latest standings or circuit wins - _I saw you on TV_ -Joey caught himself ready to start rambling, before the repressed knowledge of her nonsensical marriage popped up. He nervously rubbed his thighs. "I _saw._ " At his unease and inability to predict where she was going to steer the conversation, he found himself noting the location of his deck in his backpack. He had obediently left his Duel Disk in his locker at work so he could come straight here. He felt ashamed as he realized he was scrutinizing her jewelry for anything unusual.

"Hmm," Mai hummed at his acknowledgment. "So, how have you been doing?" she eagerly asked, "Or do you have questions for me first?"

The answer to the first one was comparatively easy by any measure: _Nothing._ The second question was the spark that lit up the stash of questions that burned his mind. _First off, how dare you,_ part of him wanted to lead with. He shuffled his feet under the table as his hands gripped the edge of the seat. _Fuck why did I come here? Why did she want to see me?_

Mai bit her lip when she could see the struggle in his face, but then looked up grinning at the saving grace of their waitress approaching. "Oh, but of course!" she interrupted Joey's sullen thinking, "Let's order something for you first."

Without looking at the menu, Joey perked up and rattled out his cappuccino order; a simple back-to-basics large, cream and sugar.

Mai's smile pinched at laugh lines as her cheeks bunched. She tried to cover her knowing look by leaning her mouth on her hand, as her arm casually rested on the table.

Joey finished his pleasantries with the waitress, then turned back to Mai with a leftover fake smile that withered away.

"You've grown up even more since the last time I ss—" Mai stopped herself.

Joey arched forward at the table, feeling the memory like a punch to his gut. He looked away, letting his bangs flop down over his eyes and gritting his teeth.

Mai looked down to his side of the table. "I suppose I should actually be the one to start..." Her lips formed a pout. "And I'll get right to it then..." Hopelessly irrepressible, he lifted his gaze again to face her. She stared straight into his big brown eyes. "Joey, I can never repay you for what you did. And I would never be able to thank you enough. Nor can I apologize enough for – _everything_ I've done, including my avoiding you since."

Joey pressed his lips together hard as he listened, willing himself not to cry, no matter how much he had to strain.

"You know you did the right thing, all along. And I am," she choked up herself as she got to this part, " _Sooo_ sorry I hurt you."

They let the long overdue, but heartwrenching apology sink in between them. The air settled in heavy. Finally Joey shrugged, pretending his eyes and lashes were not already glistening. "I was just glad you were alright..." He looked right at Mai, showing her those eyes on full display. "But since den?"

Mai took him in, took her licks, knowing this was the exact music she had been hiding from. She swallowed and cleared her throat. With a shaky voice, she answered. "I've been doing so much better. Thanks to you guys."

 _'You guys.' The 3 of us..._ His face squirmed. _Sure, Kaiba was there. Important. He_ helped. _But he wasn't the one desperate to save you. He just wanted his company's stock to stop plummeting or whatever. Some 'hero!'_ He recalled the sobering and unexpected lesson he took away from his duels with Valon and her back then, even as he was losing his soul in her arms. _Saving you didn't mean I was the one you'd end up with... Turns out Valon was a good guy... But Kaiba? "Err,"_ Joey shook his head, retching from side to side as he could no longer contain it. "KAIBA?"

Mai sighed, suddenly worried about rearranging her cup and utensils, but readying herself to speak.

But Joey continued. "I mean, is everyt'ing alright dere at least? Are ya actually _happy_ with him? I thought you said you'd never marry someone like- Would he _really_ track my Duel Disk? He dun't even know _you're_ here right now, does he? What's _wrong, Mai?_ "

She snapped her attention back to him, feeling the attack alongside his concern. "All that's _wrong_ is that I've missed you!" she whined defensively.

Joey sat back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest, still not believing her. He wiped at his eyes and nose before replacing his hand in the crisscross. "You're tellin' me you're honestly _happy_ with _Kaiba?_ "

She grunted and sighed. "He reached out to me almost a year ago, we dated, and then- yes- _of my own free will_ , I married him."

Joey rolled his tongue around in thought, openly frowning at her, but then he sighed and shook his head. "As long as you're okay, dat's all I care about."

Mai half-frowned, half-smiled. "Well, thanks, I guess." _Backhanded congratulations...?_

"So..." Joey tried not to let the conversation just drop.

Mai sighed and drooped her head.

"Why did you want me here?" Joey suddenly burst, immediately cringing and regretting it.

"I just wanted to catch up," Mai calmly offered as an answer.

Joey forced a smile. "I'm not mad at you, if dat's what you were lookin' for. I really _am_ sorry dat we let ya down after Battle City. Dat was a mistake on all our parts. I understand why ya did whatchya did. Valon even turned out ta be an okay guy for ya, underneat' it all. I..." He choked down a gulp. "I'm just glad I was able ta get t'rough to you in da end..." _Cuz I love you..._

Mai nodded. "You did. You really did. I, um... I left you with Valon there, cuz I knew 'Yugi and co.' would find you. I took off and challenged Dartz myself, but I lost."

He listened intently. "I didn't know how you'd lost; I figured I didn't wanna know... But, t'ank you, Mai."

"Hm," she smiled with a furrowed brow. "Joey..."

The waitress interrupted, returning with his drink.

"Oh, t'ank you," Joey beamed at the waitress again, but even he realized he was looking right through her. He rested his arm on the table on his own place setting, busy criticizing the generic swirl in the foam in front of him.

Mai seized the opportunity to take his hand. He jumped, but remained caught. His hazel brown eyes at last locked securely with her amethyst ones, both wide and unassumingly expectant. Their hands sparked and ignited where they touched.

Joey forsook any pretense and twisted his hand, so they were palm to palm, and held on tightly, their thumbs crossing. His brow pinched as they held the gaze. He imagined pulling her close, tearing that KC off along with her jacket, clutching, grabbing, pulling, as she would throw her head back and he would bow down as he kissed every inch of her along the way. His lips pursed hard again, selfishly not wanting to think of a more platonic way to love her right now.

Mai held on just as tightly, matching his grip. "You saved me," she choked out. "You, Joey. Ever since I met you, you've taught me about what's really important, and you helped me to know myself." She paused, fighting back tears and sniffling. "And sometimes the lines aren't so clear, ya know?"

Joey winced, knowing she was right, but not wanting to accept it. Her ring, the beautifully textured ring and considerably sized _rock_ from _Rich Boy,_ was digging into his hand, but he could not care enough to stop squeezing.

"You made me believe in love. You taught me about fighting for something bigger than myself. And you helped me to figure out and accept what I need out of life, without pushing people away- I don't want to push you away." _Compromise..._

 _But I'm not whatcha need..._ is what Joey heard. He steeled his jaw, and though he knew he had to, he did not want to let go.

"I am who I am," she shrugged, trying to smile through gathering tears. "I chose this path, for all the reasons you helped me to find in myself, and..." _I'll always love you, Joey... But I just don't see how we could have..._

He nodded, searching deep into her eyes. "And dis is what you really want? Cuz you know I'd do anything for ya if ya need me to..." he trailed off. _Kick Kaiba's ass any day of the week for ya..._

She took a deep breath, relishing in his comforting brown eyes. She nodded.

"He," Joey heard his voice cracking apart, "Treats you good?"

"Like a queen." She chuckled, "I promise."

"For real?" He still could not believe it, but he did let his grip on her hand loosen.

"Listen, Joey, you know how he cares for Mokuba?"

"Well, yeah, but he came as a package deal in his life..."

Mai sighed. "Well it's along those lines."

"You came as part of a package deal?" He raised a wise-ass eyebrow at her.

"No!" she chuckled. "You're still a knucklehead, aren't you?"

"Hm," Joey smiled charmingly.

Mai had to tear her eyes away. "We're family. I know it's hard to believe, but he does care."

Joey hoped she would not go on. He did not need his income compared to that of the CEO of the wealthiest tech corporation in the world, twice in one day. Let alone anything else compared. "Sure," he offered his acceptance of closing the issue. "I mean, married ta the head of Kaiba Corp. What more could ya want?" He shrugged and faked a smirk.

Mai forced a sad smile.

Joey squeezed her hand a little more, and their eyes met again, at an understanding. He smiled and nodded, then gently released her hand. With his eyes still speaking volumes to hers, though, he let his fingers only slowly slide down to the tips of hers. Her nails flicked and tingled the pads of his fingers, and just like that, they were separated again.

Joey cleared his throat, and changed the subject to her job at Kaiba Corp itself. She eagerly chattered about her new line of fashion designs, the company's first soiree into the field. There were KC branded sneakers, messenger bags, purses, wallets, and such. Next they were working on a dress that could have any pattern, even a moving pattern, projected upon it. He listened in rapture, and eventually she was just as enthusiastically asking about the Duel Monsters themed cafe. Joey blushed that his work stories were much more blue-collar, but Mai enjoyed them thoroughly nonetheless.

Before they knew it, they were almost the last ones left as the cafe they sat in began closing.

"You're okay gettin' home?" Joey asked, not thinking.

"Yes, Joey," she chuckled, then pointed to someone sitting outside, a nondescript suit. "My driver's right there. Well, driver and bodyguard." She added in a bemused sigh, "You know Kaiba..."

"Well, dat's good." Joey nodded, fully agreeing with any idea Seto had for Mai's safety.

"Don'tchyu worry 'bout me, Hun." She stood up, beaming at his resilient care for her. He stood as well, awkwardly wondering how or when he should pick up his bag, and whether he should walk with her to the front. Mai answered all his ponderies when she reached out for him, first touching his shoulders, then wrapping her arms around his neck as she stepped closer. Yet again, Joey felt weird being taller than her but wearing a t-shirt and jeans as opposed to her professional attire. The thought dissolved quickly though, as she pulled him against her in a hug. Finally, she felt his head settle as he leaned down into her shoulder, his own arms wrapped around her, and his hands held her side and shoulder firmly. "You take care now, you hear me?" she said intimately.

"Sure thing," he muttered. He leaned away, and tried to fix her hair back. "And don't you be a stranger," he pleaded in all seriousness.

She smiled wholeheartedly. "This was, absolutely wonderful, Joey. We have to do this again sometime."

Joey nodded and smirked wistfully. "Could we? Or wouldja hafta duck Rich Boy again?"

Mai groaned uneasily, "I was worried how you'd react, too, ya know... But don't you worry about him. He doesn't control my life, not one iota. I can certainly see my friends anytime I'd like."

Joey's heart and stomach settled quite a bit, at the pleasant surprise in hearing that Kaiba was not a psychopathic controlling boyfriend. _– er, husband..._ He still shivered at the title.

Mai was rubbing his upper arms, preparing herself to leave, but Joey clutched her close again in another hug. He craned his neck back and turned to kiss her cheek, then whispered at her ear, his breath hot on her already warm cheeks. "I'll always care for ya, Mai, no mattah what." He gave her a good squeeze, then released her. He stepped back, slung his bag over his shoulder, and bowed, holding his arm out directing her to walk ahead.

Mai blushed and hummed as she walked past, with her biggest grin of the evening. She turned back just once. "Thank you, Joey... for everything."

Joey watched her leave, with his own heavenly grin, unable to explain or give reason to the very epitome of joyous warmth spreading throughout his entire being.

* * *

"Well then when are you coming home?" Seto listened a bit longer, growing exasperated again and rubbing his eye with the hand not holding the phone. He sat on a stiff-backed couch, one knee pulled up and a laptop set balanced upon it; but it had been left untouched long enough for the screen to go to sleep. He leaned back with both elbows resting up on the sides. Finally he butt back in, throwing a hand up. "No, you don't _need_ to-" He sighed. "Fiiine, fine. Have fun. But let me-"

Mai's heels clacked walking up through the wide entryway of the sitting room, toward the back of the couch. Seto looked up behind himself to see her.

"Oh, hey," he greeted her, then returned to the phone conversation. "No- wait. I said just let me know what's going on, okay, Kiddo?"

Mai idly started squeezing his shoulders while she waited.

"-no, I know, I'm just saying- Look. _Have fun,_ but be safe, let me know what's going on. Anything happens though you call me, _no matter what._ Alright? Ya know?.. ... I know you know. Alright. I love you. ... See ya." He hung up and sighed, leaning back into the massage. "How are you doing?"

There was a soft genuine smile on her face, left from the afterglow of the cafe. "Mmm, I'm fine."

 _...it's pretty late, isn't it?_ He hesitated to say anything, not wanting to spoil her apparently good mood. If the time had involved any other mini-breakdowns, he did not need to remind her of them. He was just glad to see she was back on the upswing.

"So, lemme guess," she said with amusement, "He's staying _another_ week?"

"Uh, yeeeah..." he sighed again.

Mai giggled. "You're such a pushover with him, you know." She took to running her fingers through his hair.

"Problem is _he_ knows it," he grinned fondly.

"Mm-hm," she nodded, then took a deep breath and rested her hand back on his shoulder "Did you go to your appointment today?"

This time he groaned. "No. But nothing's really happened. I'm busy and nothing's chang-"

"Ugh, you have _plenty_ to talk about! It's not _recent_ stuff that you're working on."

Seto sat there silently, staring into the edge of the couch.

Mai shook her head but smiled. She squeezed the new tension out of his shoulders, then slid one hand down over his chest, resting over his heart, as she leaned down close.

Seto took a deep breath, returning to calm. He placed his hand over hers and turned his head down toward her. "Taking everything," he said quietly, apologetically.

"That's good," she whispered back sweetly. "You're lucky I'm a pushover with you, too." She nuzzled his temple.

It gave him a sad grin. He reached up to hold her cheek beside his face, and they stayed like that a moment.

Mai pulled away a little to look at his face. "You _tired?_ "

Seto tilted his head farther back to look straight up at her, his small smile turning into a devilish smirk. "Not _too_ tired."

She smirked back. Her hands moved on to generously stroking feather-light, warming touches up and down his throat, careful to never use any nail. Meanwhile, she planted a kiss on his lips, upside-down. As quick as it was, she could feel his breathless moan vibrate through her.

She went to move away, but his hand caught the back of her neck and pulled her back. A tiny giggle escaped, til he kissed her cheek. She gasped; the smoldering spot that had been left behind now alternately felt his cool breath. With more forceful intention, she pulled away, so he let her go.

"Are you alright?" he asked, still grinning and eyes half closed.

She smiled sweetly at his concern, but preferred to change the subject til they could go all-out. "Yeah," she breathed. Sounding even more genuine than before, she answered, "Yeah, I'm alright." _His laptop might stand in the way of anything else, though._ "Whatcha workin on?"

He begrudgingly picked his head back up and stared at the black screen, remembering what would show up if he woke it. _Modeling contracts..._ "Ah, you know what," he sat forward, "I'll show you tomorrow." The lid closed with a gentle tap; in another second, the LED's turned off.

With that aside, he stood and came around to her. His arms snapped to her waist, hers to his chest. With gentle smiles, they both eagerly rejoined for a full kiss. Hands twirled together, they headed upstairs. Behind the closed door of the bedroom, each was certain they were the only one in the other's mind...

It seemed like any other intimate night, but then escalated to such a high level of sensual enthusiasm, mutually expressed. Loving movements felt more earnest than ever before. Neediness was tenderly answered with generous giving, both emotionally and physically.

 _Joey- you could never take her from me. And whether you would reject me or not, I know that she's here with so much love for me- and she_ will _be here. This works- this- with her- she- is incredible, augh! ...what would_ he _be like?_

 _Joey- could this have ever been? Oh, but would it have worked out as wonderfully as this? Would it be as strong and solid as this? I know he cares about me, but him I can depend on. Whatever else there may be or could have been, I know I felt loved this evening, and oh I feel so loved right now!_

Contrary to conventional assumption, the way their minds and days were going, their marital affection only felt all the stronger and more intense. Connecting thoughts, analogies, and imaginations riled them up in a continuous feedback loop. "I love you"s abounded freely and desperately.

Eventually they were drifting off to sleep, still loosely cuddled together. Neither would deny how completely satisfying their late night activities had been. But, neither would they admit there was something keeping them from feeling complete contentment as a whole.

* * *

Joey took a deep breath and stared down the large, executive door for just a few more moments. And then just a few more moments. Just a few more moments...

He had left his apron, Duel Disk, and backpack downstairs. He had made sure in the bathroom that he looked presentable enough, and had changed into his spare clean Tower Records red T-shirt, tucked into his skinny jeans and neatly bloused, with a lightweight black opened zip-up hoodie. He hoped his kitchen shoes resembled simply black sneakers enough, hoped he did not look too out of place in the office floors, hoped he was not tracking bleach onto the carpets. – But he had not done a thing about those _classes._

 _Kaiba's just gonna hand me my ass again... Maybe I could just lie. I mean, at very worst, I actually do it and learn something..._ Something about giving in still just rubbed him the wrong way.

Finally, with one last heaving sigh, he pushed the door open. He forced-casually stepped in onto the crisp azure carpet, and let the door close behind him. His attention was immediately captured by Seto's mahogany desk, and particularly him in stark white standing behind it; how his eyes were already on him. Joey felt pale, painfully aware of his nerves being both defensive with anxiety, and enthralled with the sleek beauty in here. "You, uh... wanted ta see me?" The door clicked shut behind him and he jumped.

Seto watched him, and allowed a smirk at how literally jumpy he was. "Yes," he growled.

Joey calmed down at that. He could deal with Seto's more predictable dickish behavior, no matter the mood or topic. He rubbed his finger under his nose and grinned, a little less-forcibly playing it casually friendly. "Whadja _need_ ta see me about exactly, Chief?"

Seto was in the most normal-looking outfit Joey had ever seen him in: A normal white suit jacket, with normal narrow notched lapels, over a normal light blue dress shirt, unbuttoned down a ways, and a normal royal blue tie, loosened down low. As a whole, it all was still tight and sharp enough that it still looked damned sexy on him. Although, Joey could not find those words exactly as he took it in.

Seto looked down at the papers spread across his desk. He wanted to simply blurt, _Would you want to model for these, or do I have to..._ But he turned his head away a moment. With a sigh he turned back to Joey. He scooped up a pack and flipped them around. "Take a look at these..." _Why. Whyyy does this now feel like the strangest spot I've ever been?_

Joey curiously stepped up to his desk. He leaned over the name plate and puzzle toys that decorated the edge, to move some of the papers apart. His eyes widened and dilated; his breath hitched. _This is what Mai was talking about!_

He gulped and cleared his throat, composing himself, and really took a good look at it. "Whoa..." The symbols leapt out at him; a golden triangle, the KC ligature. The designs looked expensive, so he assumed they were good. He realized the pile of papers was actually a dissembled book, so he began turning the pages as he looked through. After a few, he turned back to Seto. "What're you showin' me dis for?"

Hands shoved in his pockets, he sauntered around to the side of his desk. "We need people to model them. Preferably top duelists."

Joey tweaked an eyebrow. "Me?"

"Or me," he answered, annoyed.

"Oh-ho-ohhh," Joey grinned. "You wanna duel me for the spot?!"

"Pfft, no," he said in monotone. "That is the last thing I wanna do."

Joey shoved his fists down at his sides indignantly and scowled at him. "I came in 4th in your precious Battle City, right under YOU, ya jerk..." His fiery anger was seething, not caring how easily it was provoked.

Seto's eyes went wide in confusion. "Wheeler!" he raised his voice, ready to extinguish this argument. "I don't _want to_ model this stuff! So I need the next in line and that's you, dumbass."

Joey's rage sizzled away. "Oh..." He grinned sheepishly and rubbed his neck. "Sorry..."

"Do you want to?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. I guess."

"Thanks then." He regathered up the papers.

Joey shifted in place where he stood. "Um," he scratched his temple. "Dese designs, dey remind me a lot of you and Yugi, but, um..." His brow furrowed, worried to broach the subject.

Seto kept his attention on him, even while his eyes were pointed at the papers and his writing on them.

"Like..." Joey ventured placing his fingers back on the desk toward the papers, but dared not touch them again. "Who designed all dis?"

He watched for his reaction. "It was Mai."

Joey tensed, but quickly tried not to show it. He felt proud and nervous all at once. _He didn't even hesitate!_

"This was her proposal for an entirely new merchandising unit," Seto continued proudly.

"Oh, uh," Joey stuttered, trying to pretend to sound as professional as them. "I see."

Seto smirked. _Jealousy?_ "We'll be in touch with you about the details of the shoot."

Joey nodded, rolling his tongue around and gazing around the room, trying to look casual. Trying to keep thoughts of Mai at bay, especially now, especially here. "Anythin' else?" He looked back to Seto, involuntarily letting his focus drip down his flared collar and clavicles just peaking out. The amount of space his shirt was open would be just enough to slip a hand into. Once he caught himself staring, he pursed his lips hard in a frown, unsure if he was grateful for the distraction, or not.

"Uhhh, yes..." Seto was finishing writing something while watching a new reply pop up on his phone screen. He huffed a chuckle at what he read and closed his eyes a moment before turning back to Joey. "On a more _personal_ level," he stood up and walked around his desk. He plucked up a puzzle toy and began turning its parts around in his hands, as he leaned back against the edge of the desk. "I wanted to talk to you about Mai." _He probably_ is _the key to helping her once and for all._

Joey's chest caved as an icy vein of fear shot through him. He stepped back away from him, ready to throw his arms up to block at any moment. _He knows...!_

Seto on the other hand, remained reserved, sullenly focused on the puzzle. There were so many ways to start it. "You ever..." _No, no yet._ " I mean, you and your group have always confused me. I can invent hologram projectors and play corporate bosses like puppets. But..."

Joey gritted his teeth as he listened.

 _Is this the right way to go?_ Seto questioned himself, pausing his fingers. _Well, best to keep going and find out._ "Have you ever started something, thinking you knew what to expect, but then something else comes up?"

Joey tilted his head. "Are you purposely being vague enough to include my entire life?"

He hit a dead end and sighed. "You can leave if you want to."

Joey was shocked, but put his foot down. "No. I ain't scared ah you," he announced determinedly.

Seto finally looked at him and saw his stance, how he was ready to pounce. "Huh." He tilted his head right back to him in intrigue. "Relax, Wheeler," he said quietly. _Not here,_ he thought, suddenly not feeling right. "Could we..." _But this is the only privacy I'll get._

"Out wit' it, Kaiba," Joey demanded.

Seto glared back. "Do you like me?" Suddenly his heart jumped and chest tightened. _There. – and now?!_

Joey resented how his eyes quickly did another up and down over how his slim body leaned back on the desk. _Sexy bastard..._ But quickly, he bit, "I appreciate everyt'ing you've done for us over da years, and I really _do_ believe you've turned out ta be quite a good guy, but I don't hafta _like_ you ta respect you for dat."

He twirled the toy in his hands; all these pieces made sense. "You don't forgive me for... when we first met?"

Joey sighed shamefully. "Yugi does. Atem did. But de rest of us..." he trailed off. "I know you went t'rough some kinda mental break, and came out better cuz of it, but..."

Seto reflexively shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know if you'd call that a 'mental break.' There's been so many... Things you might call 'mental breaks...' Some good, some bad."

"But you've never brought dat up again."

"I thought my regret was implied. At a zero-sum approach, I'm surely in the black. I'm a completely different person now."

"Tch, 'completely?'" Joey smirked.

Seto dipped his head in concession. "Slightly."

"I've _tried_ forgivin ya..." Joey trailed off and looked away. "But stuff like dat's gotten me back in trouble before..."

"That's fair."

Joey shot his head up, wondering how he could say that unsarcastically. But his face confirmed that it was a sincere answer. He narrowed his eyes at him. "Are you _tryin'_ to apologize?"

Seto's voice came out in a quiet, gravelly grumble, yet somehow devoid of resentment. "I suppose."

Joey hardened his expression, to hold back his heart welcoming and encouraging the change. "Well den, thank you." As pleasant as this development was, he desperately wanted to change the subject. "Sooo, hah, you, uh, ya really want _me_ da model _official_ Kaiba Corp merch?"

Seto perked up, immediately recognizing and somewhat grateful for being forced off the topic. "Yes, ah," he put the toy down. But he knew he had to bring it back around, and surprisingly wanted to. Not having an answer was agonizing. He slid his hands into his pockets, eyes studying his white dress shoes, and took a couple steps towards him. "Yeah." Seto lifted his eyes from lingering on his own shoes, to Joey's sneakers, skinny jeans, and so on, rolling all the way up his body to his waiting, hard-set brown eyes. "Why not?"

 _Eyein' up the competition?_ Joey held back reacting, remaining a neutral serious.

Seto lost the edge in his attitude, as if he finally had the answer to fit into a frustrating crossword. The tiny corners of his mouth turned upward, as his eyes retreated to his shoulder. His voice came out in a softness Joey had rarely heard from him, but knew was real. "You're cute."

Joey's eyes popped open wide. "Wha..." His jaw fell open, shoulders dropped like lead weights, and he froze. "Kaiba..." It was as if they had both fallen through into some tunnel-vision alternate dimension where time and all other space disappeared- irrelevant. He did not realize how his cheeks turned rosy, but his blood ran cold; as blatant a positive reaction as one could showcase. However, he certainly did not register how Seto had stepped right up to him.

Seto saw the look on his face, the opportunity, and the moment just felt right. He leaned in, his eyelids drooping along the way, watching carefully.

Joey's state of reflection ceased without warning. Out of nowhere, he saw him leaning in, and his heart skipped. Reflexively, he closed his eyes, and jumped in. He instantly gasped at the crackling sizzle he swore he felt as their lips gingerly made contact. Every nerve in his body shivered in the tingling pleasure running down his spine. He leaned into him a little more.

To Seto, it felt like a big section had clicked together, though he had no idea where it belonged overall. Lightning had shot through his body and set him on fire, a heat he suddenly could not get enough of. It seared through him, raising his pulse to heights that G-forces did not even reach anymore. _This_ beautiful blonde before him was every bit as sensual as his lawfully wedded. And clearly, he was right about this fellow young man's interests. He was right about everything; he was _safe._ He was _right,_ and it was a gloriously dynamic validation. He ventured slipping his tongue out.

A small groan jumped from Joey's throat. His mind blanked on anything else before or after this, this heavenly sensation. Focused on only themselves, he fell into a dizzying vertigo, as his heart pounded at the singular idea- and it coming to life. _Rich Boy's- ...kissing me!_ He seized the moment himself, his tongue rushing to meet his.

Joey moaned, but was simultaneously aware of _feeling_ Seto's sighing moan through their connection. He grinned giddily, and took a step forward so they stood flush, feet alternating beside each other in their stance, pressed against each other.

Joey's tongue demanded control, and strangely, Seto's seemed to act powerless against it. Joey cut him some slack, then smirked as he felt him shyly try to fight back.

He raised his hands to either side of Seto's face, delicately slipping through the ends of his wispy chestnut hair, then sliding down over his high cheeks.

Seto groaned at the touch, and in frustration for not knowing what to do with his own hands. Moreso than ever with Mai, he felt himself absolutely _melting_ at the intimacy of this gesture. It felt too good for any trauma to stand a chance, but it did feed his guilt. He settled on carefully placing his hands directly over Joey's, desperately hoping the kiss would last as long as possible.

His fingers were like ice, adding extra height to the bounds of Joey's nerves. As Seto's hands warmed, though, they played with each other's fingers, drifting down to his chest. Joey's heart jumped again when a finger unexpectedly brushed that clavicle he had been eyeing earlier.

 _Why didn't we do this sooner?_ Joey had his own ascertainment to celebrate, but he wanted Seto to know how right _he_ was this time. Joey tenderly parted the liplock, still brushing them together as they both breathed hard. "Heh, I knew you liked-" It finally hit him. _**MAI!**_ His eyes shot painfully wide, though they remained unfocused. "Guys..." he breathed in shock. His hands wound up and shot out at Seto's shoulders, shoving him back as hard as he could, nearly toppling him backward, but he caught himself while stumbling. Joey's face was completely enflamed, as he stood ready to attack. "You cheating bastard!" he screamed, voice squeaking and cracking all the way.

"Wheeler," Seto panicked, "Now just hold on a minute-"

"You _did!_ You _cheated-!_ " he cried out. "Awgh, I shoulda known DIS would be it, after everything- after _EVERYTHING!_ " He was reaching screeching levels now.

"You can't tell her," he tried to point out, but it sounded like a worried plea.

"Why!" Joey bellowed. "Clearly you don't love her! You're not even into women!"

"Tch," Seto smirked, glaring at him. He was done playing nice. "How is this any different from you?"

Joey froze again, caught in his icy glare. His own features betrayed how he could not defend himself against his own same accusations. _Mai..._ And yet, he could not deny the attractiveness of the disheveled and flushed CEO before him. "Urrrgh," he grabbed with both hands at his hair. "You set me up!"

"I did, but you liked it." Seto maintained his cool exterior, but inside, he was a hot mess of anxiety, ready to shoot down any idea of Joey's and probably enjoy doing it.

"How could you- Why- How could you hurt Mai like this!" he cried out. As a sob sprang up and tears filled his eyelids, he realized he was yelling at himself as well.

"I am _devoted_ to her," Seto said adamantly, actually offended. "I just had to figure this out."

"'Figure this out?!'" Joey cried again, and swung his arms about, accentuating his speech. "Figure WHAT out?! SHE'S your _wife!_ YOU fucking married _her,_ ya jerk! But nah, it's all about _figuring people out!_ Everyt'in in life is just a fucking _game_ to you! But people ain't machines! YOU ain't a machine! You PROMISED to take care of her, and I dun care if you evah meant anythin' else ah not, you'dbestBETTER **take care ah her!** Or I don't give a fuckin' _damn_ whatevah else you've done for me or no one, I will come beat the ever-livin' daylights outta ya!"

 _She's better taken care of than you could ever-!_ was Seto's first thought as he bore the rant, but he bit his tongue. "Wheeler," he instead snapped urgently.

"What?!" his arms flailed out with the exclamation.

"Tell me you didn't like that."

Joey just stared at him, as tears escaped and his scowl contorted. _I did..._ He hated himself at the mere thought. He tried wiping his face clear, while also covering it. _Oh God, what have_ _ **I**_ _done to Mai's marriage?!_

"Did you?!" Seto demanded.

Joey turned back to him, slouched and looking pathetic. He drooped his head in a one-way nod. "I just screwed everything up..." he cried. "Well, I mean technic'ly you did, but I let you."

Seto sighed and walked back over to him, thinking of anything to say to smooth this over. "You didn't screw anything up. Listen, I'm sorry. I should have explained more straightforwardly-"

"Save it, Kaiba," Joey sneered. "You owe _Mai_ an apology." Breathlessly, he continued muttering to himself. "Shit, she's gonna hate me..."

"Mai is in perfectly good hands," Seto spoke more softly, still with a stern edge.

"Yer a dirty rotten cheatin' son of a bitch..." he kept on going.

Seto wanted to berrate him right back, but remained focused on tactics. "Wheeler," he growled as he locked his hands around his wrists, over his black hoodie sleeves.

Joey locked their eyes in turn, as he cringed with guilt and confusion.

"Listen to me," he said gravely. "This changes _nothing._ " _A lie will pacify him,_ he thought methodically. More tantalizingly, he searched deep in those honey brown eyes. _There's fire in those eyes - it is... ~dangerous... You're not a pushover at all, are you? Otherwise you wouldn't still be around, after everything..._

Joey twisted his arms in to crunch his own hands around fistfuls of Seto's white lapels. _I have so many more questions..._ His head spun, but did not believe Seto for one second. He tried searching deeper in those crystal blue eyes. _As icy as ever - so... ~powerful... but he ain't so tough. For all his smarts, he's just the same stupid, scared, lonely, jerkoff._ "But Mai..." he whined. "You can't!"

"You hear me?!" Seto growled, still waiting for an answer.

Joey calmed himself down, somehow feeling more at ease in their current position. But still he could only think of the juxtaposition of the equally guilty man holding him, _and_ the woman he was, at very least, _supposed_ to be a good friend to. _Mai..._

 _"Joey,"_ Seto tried whispering; a desperate plea through gritted teeth and wistful eyes.

Joey jolted at hearing his given name. He looked to him in disbelief, and in the next moment, had shirked him off and was briskly walking out the door.

Seto stared straight ahead past the spot where Joey had stood in front of the new bookcase. He did not shudder when it slammed.

* * *

 **A/N:** Ah thank you to Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable for solving that thing for me.  
And why does my total word count double with each chapter?!

Come find me on Tumblr kaiba-fangirl!


	5. Got 180 Degrees

**A/N:** ahhh... idk. Probably think of something to throw up here later... 

* * *

**Got 180**

_playlist on YouTube at EttuCh5_

 _Like FUCK 'This changes nothing!'_ Joey's mind and heart raced as he power-walked back through the top floor halls to the elevator. His knuckle smashed the button as hard as he could.

 _'kay, so, ONE of my crushes kissed me. Last year's Hottest Man Alive. KISSED. ME. CEO of Fortune 100 company Kaiba Corporation. SETO-_ fuckin'- _Kaiba. Looks are one thing. Working for him is one thing. But why did I not just_ punch _his teeth in! My dearest friend's HUSBAND - kissed me... FuuuUGHCK and he KNOWS I can't say anything! - Well, no, fuck him!_ He stopped in the middle of the hall of the mid-tower floor he was on in between elevators. He whipped out his phone and found Mai's new number, his shaky finger hovering over the call button.

 _WAIT!_ His eyes dilated and he held the phone away. _I can't just come out and tell Mai I kissed a guy, her husband or not. She's still got somethin' there for me - I hope..._ For the millionth time, he recalled the swell of love between them he felt as he laid against her soft chest, barely hanging on in her arms. _But now..._ He snarled at the floor. _If SexyRichboy is cheating on her and dey split, don't I wanna be able to swoop in?_

 _What do I mean 'if?' He_ definitely _cheated. -with_ me... _but is it different for me because I love her?_ The feeling of that illegal kiss came back to him, and he felt fresh tingles shoot through his veins and butterflies in his stomach. His heart was already pumping fast, and continued at the same pace. Switching to thinking about Mai did not free the butterflies, either. Both of them swirled around, until he could not tell which one was causing any specific response.

Another idea came to him, and he did not care how it played out. He just had to set what he could, then see how their turns went. He wandered away to find a small hallway offshoot with no traffic, away from any sensitive ears. A black plastic ball in the corner of the ceiling caught his eye. He looked directly at it, then lifted his phone with new resolve, pressing "Call" as he did so. _Go on and WATCH me._

 _"We're sorry. The wireless caller you are trying to reach..."_

Joey's heart sank. "Wha-a-at?" he said aloud in confusion. He double checked that this was the number her text messages had come from, and it was. He pursed his lips, but could not give up yet. He switched to her old number. Each ring was more deathly terrifying than the last. After five, he was already surpassing heartlessly crushed...

* * *

Mai stared down discontentedly, lips bowed in a matching pout. Then, she stepped back to helplessly distressed, took a deep breath and sighed pointedly as she turned her head down to the side. "I understand this is a challenging schedule," she sympathized sweetly. Finally, she returned with a determined glare. "But _you_ understand that we value our partnership with your company. As I have explained, we have a new dueling app releasing this summer. May is the date I was given, by the software development team and Mr. Kaiba himself, so I cannot change that."

"Well then that is just too bad," the old stout man balked. "Because we need more time than that. Why weren't we called in on this sooner?"

Mai listened intently, and began to answer. "The proposal and designs only came up so recently and then of course-" On the conference table, her phone lit up. She glanced to it and her stomach dropped. "And-" She snatched the phone up as she stood. "This really should be plenty of time. We have faith in you. If you'll excuse me, I'm sorry, I have to-" she hesitated and gulped. "My husband is calling. I will be right back." She hurried out the glass door.

" _Joey?!_ " she frantically whispered.

"MAI!" He exploded in heavenly relief and threw his other arm up to his head. "Oh, thank goodness! It is you. Listen, I need ta talk ta ya!"

"Um," she glanced back through the glass windows. "Can it wait? I'm in a meeting."

 _Of course-_ Joey was about to say, but shook his head and started pacing back and forth in circles. "NO. No, this can't wait a single SECOND longer! I _have been_ waiting, for _yeeears_ , and I am _done_ waiting to say it."

Mai's heart pounded. Her eyes went wide as she spaced out. _Oh no- I know..._

"An' I wish it wasn't just t'rough a telephone, I wish I could be dere to see your face- good or bad! But I can't wait anymore."

"Joey-" she started but sighed in distress, regretting what was coming.

His mouth jumped ahead of him, suddenly worried he had to get it out before she hung up. "Mai, I love you!"

She bit her lip, struggling to hold her composure. _He finally SAID it!_ part of her rejoiced. She closed her eyes, chest falling with her long exhale.

"I know- _you_ know when I first metcha, I just couldn't believe how beautiful you were, but we _both_ changed after our first duel. We became real friends, and we've changed even more since den. I wish I could be dere for ya always, but I know I haven't been and I am SORRY. You know dat. You know I'd do _anythin' I can_ for ya, no matter what. I _knew_ det after our last duel, det you still may not want me, but I just wanted you to be safe, and happy, so it din't matter. Standin dere witchyu, I knew dat was one of the _best decisions_ of my life. I thought I loved you before, but den- _den I knew_. I love you, Mai. An' I don't expect anythin' to change, but I just had to tell you. I just needed to know dat you really knew... Det you really knew det I've _always_ loved you, an' I _will_ always love you, Mai, no matter what." It got easier to say each time, but his giddiness from nerves of sheer happiness, and more nerves from anxiety, was only getting worse.

There was a long pause.

" _Pleeease_ tell me you're still dere," he prayed.

"Joey, I..." She was focused on making her way to her office and closing the door.

"I wanna stay your friend, Mai. I just..." He swiped at his eyes with his sleeve to wipe them. "I know, you already made your decision- n' I want ya ta undastand det I- _respect_ dat. N' I know you can take care ah yaself, but I just still want you in my life. We've _always_ been _friends_ , besides anythin' else. I just wanna stay your friend, if you'll still let me. But I had ta tell ya... how I really feel... how much I really care about ya. Once an' for all."

"Joey..." Her voice finally cracked, but she could whisper. "I've told you, you never needed to say anything. What you've done for me, _all_ that you've done for me - I know you love me."

 _...she's not gonna say it back, is she..._ His jaw clenched and neck strained. _If she knew all along, then... she must really not love me back the same..._

 _I want to tell him so badly!_ She sniffled and threw her hair back. "I'm sorry, but, I hafta go, Joey."

He closed his eyes as he felt defeat take his breath away, but at least he had fulfilled his purpose. And at least this time, he could still speak, and had the ability to walk away.. "Still friends?"

"Hm," she smiled. "Always friends."

"Thank you, Mai." He tried to keep his voice sweet and upbeat, and not to sound too disappointed.

"Don't sweat it, Hun."

Joey's grin started coming back. _I love hearing her call me dat._ "Hey, come down and get ya own coffee sometime, ya know?" _It'll drive your husband nuts! Hee-hee!_

Mai grinned and chuckled despite feeling the tears well up. "Sure thing."

"Awright den, I'll be seein ya'round."

"Hm, see ya."

"Mm... bye." Joey reluctantly hit end, certain that if he did not do it then, that they would never let it end.

Back in her office, Mai leaned back against the closed door, looking up for whatever god above her could fix this. She tried to take a deep breath, but it only came back out in a full sob. She slid down the door to the ground. Gravity helped to at least save her eye makeup; any tears drained down to her nose.

 _'Breathe,'_ she remembered. _'Breathe...' Okay... this is not even a terrible thing... But... I just feel so damned guilty all around!_ Her mind cycled through them both, the pressure closing in on her chest. Suddenly her ringtone jolted her back to reality. It was her personal assistant. She answered with a sniffle and stuffed-up "What?"

 _"Mrs. Kaiba?"_

Her eyes closed in dread at the name.

 _"Are you coming back to the meeting? The manu-"_

"Yes, yes, I'm coming!" she strained through more stuffiness while clamoring to her feet. Half a minute to freshen up in her personal bathroom, and she was power walking back to the meeting room, hair bouncing along with her stride. Her assistant was ready and waiting to throw the door back open for her.

"Our apologies," she cooed with the most contrite expression, "That was my husband with some urgent updates for us. The date you were quoting us, it simply won't do. We need to have products _on the shelf,_ BEFORE the new Duel Monsters app is announced, and that needs to be at least _2 months_ now before summer break." She smiled expectantly. "Surely you understand. The timing is everything for the main, hnn," here she bit her lip and let her gaze drip down before snapping back to eye contact, " _Attractions._ I'm sure you could work _something_ out for us, _couldn't you?_ "

Her assistant's eyes widened a bit, and stared at her,slightly confused and slightly concerned. Inside, Mai was calm, yet giddy, at how she was back in her element.

* * *

Seto alternated between pacing around his desk, staring out the window, and sitting, trying to get back to work. Most of the time was spent regretting how stupid he must have seemed and how deathly embarrassed he was. During one particularly antsy pacing, his desk phone rang. Hoping to focus himself as quickly as possible, he snatched the receiver up from the front of the desk.

"What?" he still answered curtly, while trying to not sound panicked.

 _"Sir?"_ the woman sweet and caring voice began.

Seto groaned. "Joy?" He pressed his eyes closed and rubbed his temple with his free hand.

" _I just wanted to let you know, Mrs. Kaiba's meeting with one of the manufacturers just ended, and she told them that the dueling app announcement is going to be in April, instead of-"_

"It's going to be May," he corrected. Mentally, however, he started scheming to see if they could move it up.

 _"I know, but she told them April-"_

"Why? The advertisers for the app have that as their date."

 _"She apparently was trying to make sure that we could have at least the first products on shelves by the time of the announcement, but-"_

"Well then everything else will just have to move up. Or at very least the products will certainly be on shelves well before May. Tell her I'll talk with the advertisers."

 _"Yes Sir, but-"_

"But what?"

 _"But... She left to take a cell phone call,"_ the PA began uncertainly.

Seto's heart stopped; his eyes froze wide and dilated.

 _"And when she came back, she said it had been you, but, well, when I had followed her to her office during the call, I heard her_ crying! _"_

He gripped the receiver as tightly as he could, his whole arm twitching in terror. _Joey you son of a bitch!_ His throat tightened as his face contorted; horrified and sorrowful.

 _"Sooo..."_ she continued, _"Would like to check on her?"_

At the mere thought of confronting her, he tucked his chin down; eyes still closed and teeth grinding.

 _"Mr. Kaiba?"_

That snapped him out of it. Quietly he growled, "Yes, I will. Thank you, Joy," then hung up. However, his hand remained on the receiver. Overcome again, he pulled his whole neck in under stooping shoulders. _I didn't make it very far at all, did I? Because I always have to- urgh! Just another 'celebrity marriage' for a trash headline..._ His other palm slammed down on the table with a hollow blast. _You said you wouldn't take this from me!_ His eyes squeezed shut even harder at the miserable awareness that his body had been trained out of its very ability to cry.

 _And if she tries to fight it- will I be removed? Mokuba doesn't want this yet, but it would force him to- No. I have to see what I can do._ He stood up straight again, and moved with purpose around his desk. He sat back down in his role, but from a top drawer, took out a pill bottle. _Half the worth of the mansion – No! Stop thinking!_ He spilled one out and took it. _Do they take into account the cars? – Stop!_ He dialed for his own personal assistant's line. _I have a bunch of lawyers for the company but – NO! This could get expensive –_

 _"Ah, yes, Sir?"_ her husky candied voice came through and pulled him back.

"Jenny," he grabbed hold of her name to steady his mind. "The advertisers for the new Duel Monsters app, make an appointment for me to meet with them as soon as possible. Virtually or otherwise."

 _"Yes, Sir!"_ she ambitiously answered, then continued authoritatively. _"May I ask what this is pertaining to?"_

"We need to move up the announcement of the app, from May to April. If they have any objections, well, that's exactly why they can come see me about it."

 _"Aaaalright, then! I'll get back to you shortly!"_

"Thank you."

 _"Hm."_

Seto hung up, and before he could allow himself to think about what he was doing, he mindlessly dialed Mai's office. A couple of lonely rings hung listlessly in the open air. _I'm just going to end up alone again..._

Then, the video screen hummed on. His heart jumped and breath hitched, but as he looked at her sitting behind her desk, he was reminded of how she could see him as well. "Hey, Hun," she greeted him first with a smile, the very essence of a professional beauty. "What is it?" _Sigh, probably already heard about the timeline dates I lied about._

His brow furrowed. _This is no time to play it coy, Mai!_ With an insufficient gulp of air, he spilled. "Joy said you were crying?"

Suddenly Mai was the deer caught in headlights. "Ah-"

He waited, getting ready to bear it. Brow raised a little bit, he leaned in expectantly.

 _...well I can't just tell him that someone- someone he hates as much as and as close to me as Joey- just confessed their love for me! After how many years and after all we had gone through! Cover... cover?!_ _Last time I cried was-_ "Oh, um," she frowned and looked away. "Yeah..."

He concentrated to not let his voice shake. "What..." Instead it came out weak. "Was it?" _Whatever she says, so be it. But_ I'm _not about to just confess!_

"You know," she nodded her head back toward her own video screen.

 _You wanna play this game? I'll play this game!_ He slowly blinked away, trying to remain ambiguous between remorse and compassion. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's okay, really," she finally looked back towards her screen as she brushed it off with a chuckle. "Who knows? Maybe it was the pressure, combined with that. Maybe it's cuz I'm due soon or whatever. The important thing is, I got the deal I wanted."

 _...something's... not lining up._ "Are you sure it's okay?" he scrutinized her incredulously with narrowed eyes. _And she was only confident when I was sitting in? I'm not buying it._

She smiled and rolled her eyes at him. "Yes," she chuckled. "I'm fine! I can handle this. I _am_ handling this."

"Do you want to come up? We could talk about it, or not, and at least give you a break if you wa-"

"I'm fiiine," she sighed as she shuffled some papers. She looked back and smiled at him. "I thought you were calling about the words I put in your mouth," she said gracefully.

 _And I thought you were upset about what_ I _put in my mouth._ "Well, ah-" he had to clear his throat. "Yes," he chuckled dryly. "Joy mentioned that, too. Jenny's setting up an appointment for me to talk to the advertisers and see how far up we can move the announcement date," he kicked back in his chair and grinned slyly at her. "Good thinking on that, by the way. Got the date you wanted I'm sure?"

"Hm, yup! And really? You're actually going to try to change the date?" She was surprised, but smiled proudly. "Well, well, well. You never fail to surprise me. Thanks, Hun." She could not help but grin, then gave him a wink.

His grin turned to adoration. "You're doing great, you know that?"

She blushed. "Thanks," she said proudly.

He took a moment to savor it before he carefully laid down his next words. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Hun. I'll see you tonight, alright?" Her eyelids drooped and she smiled suggestively.

With a staged bit lip, he popped his brow. "Okay," he still said sweetly.

Mai blew a kiss and then hung up.

 _...what... just happened?_

* * *

Joey finally made his way back to the cafe. He marched straight to the back, smacked the swinging door open, and gathered his bag and Duel Disk out of the locker.

Just before he got to the door, Anna called out from behind him. "And where do you think _you're_ going?"

With his head still turned away, Joey got control of the deep grimacing scowl cut into his face. Faking his usual cheerful banter, he whipped around toward her. "Oh! Heyyy," he said with an acted cheerful expression, "So ya know how Kaiba wanted ta see me? Well, turns out he also gave me the day off!"

Anna double-blinked back in shock. " _I_ run this cafe- he CAN'T-"

"I dunno," Joey said in sing-song and shrugged happily, going on his way to press on the door. Suddenly he turned back. "Oh, and dat's _with_ pay."

"What?!" she shrieked, but quickly switched to throwing her arms up in the air. "UGH! Who does he think he IS?!"

"Hee-hee," Joey laughed low under his breath then shrugged to her. "He's Seto _Freakin'_ Kaiba – he _thinks_ he's a god. Anyway, why don'tcha go check it out wit him? Toodles." With a genuinely shit-eating grin, he pushed through the door and left. _Gods I learned long ago how to play HORSE with._

Once outside the building, he paused, reluctantly giving credence to the heartstrings he felt pulling him back. He took another look up at the building, all the way up to the top, brow all knotted and pouting. He sighed heavily, then looked down the street towards home, and then down the opposite direction. He started walking that way instead.

* * *

Seto's desk phone rang again in just a few minutes. Jenny's line again. He brusquely swiped up the phone and started speaking right away, while he continued writing and signing papers. "Got a time?"

 _"Actually, Sir,"_ she declared with vigor, _"We have a situation downstairs."_

Seto flung the pen down at his desk with malice. It bounced away to the floor. "What the HELL did he do _now?!_ " he yelled a little too loudly, remembering she was just the messenger.

 _"So you know it was Joey Wheeler?"_ she asked, shocked but not deterred by his outburst in the slightest.

"Yes-" he hissed, but she cut him off.

 _"He told the manager of the Tower Records Cafe that YOUUU gave him the day off! And with pay, too!"_

Eyes closed, teeth clenched, Seto slammed a fist down on his desk. "Is that _ALL?_ "

 _"Ah, well, yes, Sir. He vacated the premesis without further incident. Shall I call to notify him not to return on account of termination of employment?"_

Seto's anger fuzzled. He blinked back in confusion. "What? No. No, he's not fired." He rubbed his forehead, remembering the warmth positively bursting out of Joey as they stood and breathed so close, the feel of the touches... "I can't fire him." Then, however, he thought on the possibility of Joey ruining his relationship with Mai, even her running off with him. "Yet."

 _"Very well then, Sir. Oh! And the advertising company said that they will call back about a time. Buuut, they didn't seem too_ pleased _about it."_

"Fine, whatever," he brushed off.

" _Okay, then. I'll keep you posted on any updates!"_

"Thanks," he eagerly hung up. He found another pen and leaned over to continue what he had been trying to work on. But it was no use. He flung that pen down too.

* * *

By the time the bell rang from walking through the front door of the Game Shop, Joey's cheeks were wet from tears flowing freely. He walked right through the shop to the living room, kicked off his shoes, and dumped his bag and Duel Disk beside the couch, then curled up on it.

Yugi's bare feet could be heard pounding down the stairs, rushing to the front, expecting to greet a customer.

The back of the couch was to the stairs, so he waited til he made it down to the living room. As he heard him pass by, Joey's ragged voice whined out. " _Yuge..._ "

He skidded to a halt. "Joey?" he peered around end of the couch. "Was that you?"

"Yeah..." He left his face glued to the seat cushion, arms tucked under himself, dead eyes staring into the void of the dark TV screen.

Yugi's eyes went wide as he took in the state Joey was in. He touched his cheek, sadly confirming their dampness. "Joey, what happened?!" Immediately, he bent over him and pushed back on his shoulder and forehead to roll him over. Finding no injuries, he pulled his arms out and his sleeves up to inspect. "I thought you had work?"

Joey was numb dead weight. He watched as he was moved.

" _Jo~oe~ey?!_ " Yugi insisted again.

Joey stared past him again. In monotone he simply muttered, "Kaiba kissed me."

Yugi lost his balance and fell backwards, butt landing on the floor even as he caught himself. "WHAT!"

His neck and face tensed up again, the mess of emotions overwhelming him.

"Kaiba..." Yugi was trying to process the action itself, let alone how it could have happened. " _Kissed you?_ "

Joey was on the verge of spilling open again. "And then," he started, but turned over to face into the couch. Muffled in a sob, he confessed further, "I told Mai I love her..."

That was much less of a shock. Yugi sighed in sympathy. "Aw, Joey..." Kneeling beside the couch, he reached out to rub around his shoulder. "I'm assuming not at the same time? Heh..." he remarked, trying to cheer him up.

Joey cringed.

Yugi cringed back. "Sorry..." After a few minutes of quiet back rubbing and more crying, Yugi knew Joey must be in way too deep. "Come- Come on, Joey," he grabbed under his arm to gently tug him out of the corner. "Let's go upstairs."

Sniffling, Joey turned and rolled into a sitting position. Slowly, he stood to his feet again. Yugi picked up his things and, keeping an eye on him over his shoulder, lead the way.

Joey made a beeline to flop onto Yugi's bed, then curled up again, soaking up the familiar scent and feel. He sighed. "I thought I woulda... made a decision already..."

"You?" Yugi asked, not sure what he was referring to. He had set his things down and gone to shut the door again. "I meant, aren't they still married?"

"Yeah, as far as I know. But I mean... guys, girls..." He groaned. "I can't even figure _myself_ out. I have _no_ idea what I want now."

Yugi brushed Joey's hair out of his eyes, smoothing it back over his ear. Joey blinked slowly, relishing the comfort. Yugi left his hand between his neck and shoulder a moment while he watched him, but Joey was still staring into space. Finally, Yugi whispered, "Lemme go close up." Usually, he would have protested, but this time, Joey just nodded.

When Yugi returned, Joey had not moved, but the tears had stopped and his breathing had returned to normal. Yugi closed the door and sat backwards on his desk chair facing him. "So what happened exactly?" Yugi asked.

Joey gave him the whole rundown of the day before and this morning.

"Joey," Yugi said calmly, "I've always known you liked both... Why can't you accept that about yourself?"

Joey locked eyes with him a moment, smirked, then looked away again. "I know _you_ obviously knew. Like dat nurse-! Dat was around the same time-..." His gaze fell. "But I can't _be_ with both. In fact I can't be with _either_ of 'em!"

Yugi pouted. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

Joey sighed. "Cuz it's not fair. And I'm just all sortsa messed up... Like, dey're married. We can't be doing this. But Mai's trying to be 'just friends' with me again. And now Kaiba's apologizin? Askin if I like him? Kissin me..."

Yugi braced himself for what he was about to ask, hoping it would not upset him. " _Do_ you like him?"

Joey jolted, picking his head up a little and finally looking at him, in shock. "Ah-..." He looked away, realizing he had not really thought it through. His brow furrowed, eyes narrowing and edges of his mouth curling in repulse. "He's an ass," he said, the first thing that came to mind.

"With a nice ass," Yugi giggled. He gave him a teasing look.

Joey laughed and sighed. "Yeaaah..."

Yugi laughed with him, eventually shyly bringing his hand up to his mouth, a nail picking at his teeth. "Was it... Good?"

A dreamy smile popped up on his face before he knew it, but once he thought on it, he did not change his mind. "Hmm... Mm-hm." It grew into a pinching grin.

Yugi blushed and covered another giggle.

"God it was so good," he raved on. "An' he's so awkward, ya know, cuz like, _it's Kaiba._ It was kinda cute. Gahhh..." He rolled over onto his back, throwing his arms up as he spoke. "N' I know it sounds so mushy, but I swear it felt like lightnin'! N' just, aughhh..." His arms finally rested crossed over his face, flushing at the memory.

Yugi watched him, positively beaming at how excited Joey seemed, but racked his mind for how to help him in this dead-end situation.

As Joey replayed the scene in his mind, his breathing mimicked itself, and lips felt residual tingles, the steam between them as they breathed so close together. His arms covered his closed eyes, which pictured every detail of his face, his hair, his suit with the tie loose and shirt halfway unbuttoned...

But then, he focused on what he had seen in his eyes and what he had heard in his voice. It was so far from when they had last sparred. Seto had always known he was poor and struggled, but that knowledge of a similar origin had always seemed clouded by malice, resentment, and condescension. Plus there was always the knowledge of who had succeeded in accomplishing a better outcome. However, this time, Seto's eyes were crystal clear. For the very first time, they saw him. There was no hatred, no malevolence, not even pity. "It felt like... I know he doesn't know really anythin' about my life, but, for da first time ever, it felt like he understood me..." He let his arms fall away to beside his head and stared questioningly ahead at the diagonal ceiling.

Yugi tilted his head and shrugged. "Kaiba is a pretty deep person. And he seems to have calmed down a lot since high school."

"Well dis lil stunt din't go so _'calmly,'_ " he retorted. His eyes narrowed in thought. "But he _meant_ it..."

Yugi rested his head on his crossed arms, on the back of the chair. He smiled as he watched Joey's face. "I just want to see you happy, Joey. You know that."

"Yeah, I know... I can't say anything to Mai." Joey sighed. "But Kaiba? He used to love torturin' me, and even workin at the cafe, we've still had plenty of, shots at each other. Kinda fights. I mean sure he apologized before, but now what? Has he got de hots for me? I mean, gawd he's gorgeous." he rambled on, running his hands down his face. "But den... If dey do get divorced... Would Mai still only want me as a friend? Would he wanna try ta _really_ get wit me? I can't go wit him if it's gonna hurt Mai-... But if I did go wit Mai? Knowin he's out there, feelin some kinda way dat he dun even undestand..." Joey trailed off, looking over into a shadowy corner. "Alone... Cuz ah _me."_

Yugi followed his gaze into the darkness. "I wish there were something I could do for you..."

Joey curled up again. "I just dunno..."

* * *

 **A/N:** Pleeease go watch Season 0's Episode 16. I just watched it while doing the last edit on all of this, and, well, thank Ra Seto's not like that Doctor, eh?

Come find me on Tumblr kaiba-fangirl!


	6. Caught In Between

**A/N:** Aaand I'm back finally. Well, hey, the last 2 chapters were updated like back-to-back. I've finally started using Google Docs to keep all of my writing organized and centralized, but not everything has moved into there yet. So hopefully now searching and transferring won't get in the way of actually just writing.

Also it's Polyship Week, as prompted by PolyshipPrompts on tumblr. This work obviously already existed, but it did help me aim to get this new chapter out at least for Tuesday's prompt: _aaaaangst!_

* * *

 **Caught In Between**

 _playlist on YouTube at Ettu Ch6_

Seto hunched over his desk, head down on his arms, running through every possible scenario in his head. The sun had set; his windows looked down on the warm and colorful glow of the city far below. Every bright light in his office was on, illuminating the room alien to the natural cycle of the day. With all the sharp and rigid modern design of the space, the cool light of the fluorescents made the room even feel cold as well. His body was exhausted from fighting with mucky emotions and holding back fearful thoughts. It was as if he had been crying all this time, though there were never any tears. He still shook with his otherwise shallow breathing every so often; his fingers trembled.

Meeting the end of the traditional work day like the end of so many ropes, he decided that he could not make anything worse. Reluctantly, he logged into their family cell phone account's website. With a hand over his quivering mouth and sad eyes, he navigated to see the calls on Mai's number this afternoon. There was one incoming call from around the time he figured; a local number.

He picked up his cell phone, and typed the number in. One by one, the suggestions popping up from his contacts narrowed down... Until a perfect match.

His chest caved and he slouched down into the huge executive chair. He pulled his knees up, wedged against the desk. From the top side drawer, he grabbed out a prescription bottle and took one of its contents with another newly opened water bottle.

Feeling a familiar emptiness, but not the will to spite it, he opened the contact.

* * *

Joey and Yugi were getting drowsy, on the couch under blankets, cuddled watching TV. Yugi had been selecting shows specifically to get Joey's mind off his predicament for at least a few hours.

When his phone buzzed, Joey knew his break from reality was over.

[[I know you called Mai right after you left. TELL ME WHAT YOU SAID!]]

Joey held the phone where Yugi could also see, but began typing without a sound. Yugi paused the show. [[I didn't tell her about THAT.]]

[[& u coulda just asked nicely. How'd u find out?]]

Seto deflated, the seemingly endless adrenaline rush finally waned. He crumpled farther into his seat. _Asked? And- he would have- told me? I hate checking on close ones any which way. At least checking the phone record, nobody else knows I was snooping... Except me._ He cringed and decided to ignore responding to that one. [[Thank you.]]

[[Anyway that's YOUR JOB to talk to her about.]]  
[["I AM NOT DOING IT FOR YOU"]]

For a moment, Seto's cynical heart read it to mean that it was not for his sake that Joey was keeping the secret. It was all too easy to accept. But then he recognized his own words, and somehow felt warmed by seeing them directed back at himself. _Heh. So you do listen._ [[I know we need to talk.]]

Yugi and Joey cringed to each other at seeing the foreboding 'we need to talk.' Yugi reached over and started tapping a few letters; Joey nodded and finished it. [[R u unhappy with her?]]

[[No. Of course not. She's wonderful.]]

With his face still strained in sadness, Joey quickly typed back. [[But u don't love her]]

Seto felt a chill run over him as the warmth was pulled back. _I do love her..._ A whimper escaped, unnoticed, and he took a while to respond. [[Maybe this isn't any of your business.]]

Joey bolted from where he was reclined to sit up cross-legged on the couch, blankets still draped over their laps. [[Mai IS my business]]

[[She's my friend & I will NOT let her get hurt again.]]

Again, Seto recognized the callback to the earlier conversation. [[I do love her. She is my wife. She is my FAMILY.]]

[[& YOU KNOW what that means to ME.]]

Joey pouted at his screen and sighed. Yugi leaned up against his arm, but looked down and away, still regretful over _how_ they had learned just how far Seto would go for family. Joey's finger trembled, hovering over his phone. It was time to either stake a claim, or surrender... [[& YOU KNOW what I will do for a friend.]]

[[But I trust u Kaiba]]

Or he could Joey-out a third option. Yugi quirked a smile.

 _He trusts me?_ For the first time in a long time, Seto felt another bit of himself come back into the light, even if it was confused. A bit overcome, he began typing again, then even went back and deleted 'one of.' [[She is the best thing to ever happen to me.]]

Joey, however, found Seto's declaration only ticked him off. [[Then this time *DON'T* SCREW IT UP!]]

Seto frowned. _I just don't understand-_ Suddenly, the thought of Mai crying reminded him. _DID he tell her and she just- is-...being nice? Trying to spare me? Or just_ waiting _to hit me with it, waiting to leave... waiting for leverage?_ [[If you didn't tell Mai, then why was she crying?]]

Joey's eyes bugged out, just watching the messages continue popping up on his phone in rapid succession, as he felt faint.

[[Her PA found her in her office]]  
[[On the floor]]  
[[Crying]]  
[[She left a meeting with one of her manufacturers to take that call]]  
[[She lied to them about the call]]  
[[She lied to ME about the call]]  
[[Then she blamed the crying on her nightmares, her period, the stress of the meeting]]  
[[LIES]]  
[[I'm sorry, I do love her, but all I see are lies]]  
[[And I JUST want to know why she was crying]]

Joey gulped. _Mai wouldn't cry over me anyway. 'specially not for just what we were talkin' about..._ Finally he threw a reply out. [[Idk]]

Seto clenched his jaw. [[YOU DO!]]

Just then, Yugi's phone buzzed. He reached over for it, but once he saw the notification, he did not return to Joey's arm.

Seto knew he was breaking down again. His breathing was not right and his jaw was shaking. He clenched hard to stop it. [[Answer me!]]

Joey saw Seto's texts, but still did not know what to say. He looked up to Yugi questioningly, who was already typing out a reply on his own phone, not allowing Joey to see. It buzzed again, but still he did not show him. Joey went back to his own typing. [[Look, what I said should not have made her cry.]]

Seto slammed a fist down on his desk. His tight muscles stung in the freezing office. [[Well what did you say?]]

Finally, Yugi presented his phone to Joey:

[[Yugi?]]

[[Yeah Mai?]]

[[I'm sorry it's been so long, I hope you're well... Listen, I know this is gonna sound crazy and completely out of left field, but could I talk to you about Joey?]]

Joey's panic doubled; he was not even sure why. He scrolled down farther.

[[Well, actually he's right here.]]  
[[Do you want me to just give him the phone?]]

[[Is he upset with me?]]

[[No, Mai. He's actually really worried about you.]]

[[Okay then...]]

Yugi frowned sympathetically to Joey, but Joey rushed back to his own phone. [[I told her I wanted to be friends again.]]

Then he gestured for Yugi to hand his phone over. [[Hey Mai. It's Joey. What's up?]]

Seto pursed his lips in paranoid jealousy. [[Why just then though]]  
[[Do you really think she's going to leave me?]]

The glimmer of the question caught the attention of his ego.

[[I mean, REALLY. Do you really think she'd ever leave ME. Come on.]]

His anxious fingers betrayed other ideas.

* * *

At the Kaiba Mansion in the master suite, the night table lamps gave the room a dim but warm glow. Mai sat curled up atop Seto's side of the bed, a twice-emptied wine glass resting on the night table beside the bottle. His embedded scent made him feel closer, while she was also strategically mindful of how far away he was at the office. He always called when he was on his way home; she deleted her messages as they came and went. [[Hey Hun. I just wanted to follow up from our prev convo. I had a meeting had to get back to att, I'm sorry.]]

Joey took a deep breath, dual wielding the phones, one on each thigh. _Pfft. Yes,_ he thought at Seto's suggestion, but then he saw Mai's response. _– oh no..._  
Joey replied to Seto first. [[No Kaiba. But not cuz ur a rich power muggle. It just made me realize that IF *anything* were to happen in Mai's life again, that I wanted to be there for her. Cuz I haven't been. & I wanted to fix that connection.]]  
[[btw where r u rn?]]

Then Mai. [[Oh mannn, sorry I interrupted ur meeting... =(

really it's me who should be sorry for stressing u out. I just got myself too worked up over it =/]]  
[[btw where r u rn?]]

Seto glared at the strange typo, not even understanding the wizarding word Joey had confused 'mogul' with. He opted to just ignore it. His ire was laser focused in one direction. [[What's it to you?]]  
[[& why would that cause her to cry? Reconnecting?]]

[[I'm home. He's still at work.]]  
[[& dw it was ok. Actually helped me out with something pertaining to the meeting, so thanks for that lol UwU]]  
[[but... about *that*...]]

Joey's stomach flipped. _HE cheated, and SHE'S bein weird sneaking around. Why de fuck do I feel_ I'm _the one on trial here?_ He answered Mai back first, as fast as he could. [[H/O]]  
[[Mai]]  
[[Y were u crying after I called?]]

Then he switched back to Seto. [[I mean idk maybe]]

 _Maybe she did get all emotional about it, but..._ Joey shook his head out.  
[[Ur still kc rnt u?]]

Mai was taken aback at his parallel inquiry. [[How did u no about that?]]

Seto rubbed his forehead and down the whole side of his face. [[That's really all it was?]] _And why does he want to know where I am so badly? -is he with her right now?!_ His mind drowned in possible scenarios, unwilling to grab the crutch that was his remotely accessible home security system. _No…!_

Joey bounced between the two, back to answering Seto first. [[YES]]  
[[Y would I lie to u]]  
[[If MAI was cheating with me, I'd be rubbing it in ur face]]  
[[Paranoid bastard]]  
[[DON'T U DARE TAKE THIS OUT ON HER]]

This time he needed time to think of a cover for _Mai's_ question, but finally came up with, [[Well I thought it ~sounded like u were starting to cry...]]

Seto refocused into clarity, like it was all a giant chess game. _He's right. He would be bragging to me at very least, and if he were at the mansion then I would have gotten a notification of a guest._ He got notifications even for total access green-light entries. Mai had told him when she was heading home, and so he already knew when she had gotten there safely. [[Point.]]

Mai breathed easy again. [[You just got me thinking back...]]

Joey did not have anything else he needed to say to Seto. He focused on Mai. [[We went through a lot together]]  
[[It's like those people who survive a disaster & then they feel closer... I forget the word for it]]  
[[but yeah...]]

[[But u really mean it...]]  
[[You love me?]]

Joey felt the familiar ache in his heart; it had never changed. [[Yeah, Mai. I made a big mistake back then not telling you about my dream. I'm older now & I wanna make sure the ppl who are important to me no it]]  
[[I no nothing is gonna *happen*]]  
[[& we can definitely still be friends - we HAVE BEEN friends all this time]]

[[Just cuz I didn't see u didn't mean I didn't miss u...]]

Yugi had been hanging over his shoulder. He sighed and shook his head at Joey in skeptic disbelief, with a smirk.

Joey just smiled goofily, blushing. _Yeah, yeah, invisible and visible. Ha ha._ He pushed Yugi back down. He flopped down into the couch giggling.

[[Joey...]]  
[[Do you ever think about what-ifs?]]

Joey bit his lip, hard. _Mai- what are ya_ doooin _?!_ [[Don't do this]]  
[[Mai no please]]  
He took a deep breath. [[U have a loving husband who u said is so good to u & I've never seen u look better]]  
[[DON'T FEEL GUILTY]]  
[[I wasn't asking for anything]]  
[[I told u that]]

Mai's whimpering and worrying soon became more tears. [[Joey]]

[[I just want you to know]]

Straining and gritting his teeth, face heating up, Joey typed back in an instant. [[STOP]] _She can't... No. Don't you start now! You want me? Leave him. First. Or him leave you first- wait, what? Anyway, whatever you guys do please just stop toying with me already!_

Through blurry eyes, she paused typing and just stared at the screen. She deleted what she had, then began again. [[I'll always care for you, too.]]

Joey felt heartened by the soft confirmation of 'good friend' status. Yet he continued emphasizing which direction she should be looking. [[U married him. & he's worried about u.]]

Mai had a moment of clarity. [[How do u no that]]

[[-that he's worried]]

Joey facepalmed, then dragged it down his face. He sighed. This confession would probably not hurt. [[Cuz he's texting me about u too]]

Mai sniffled, feeling her heart twist around in the burning cold. _...is something going on here?_

[[Listen, Mai. Why don't u go relax?]]  
[[U've had a couple rollercoaster days here & I don't want u to fall off again. What do u do to relax?]]  
[[Change into comfy stuff, sleep? Watch something?]]

[[Bubble bath...]]  
[[What is he texting u about?]]

Joey groaned. _Better that_ I _don't lie too much._ [[He knows I called u today]]  
[[I told him I was just trying to reconnect as friends]]  
[[U said he's not controlling but he sure is paranoid]]

[[...did HE tell u I was crying?]]

Joey winced, but shook his head out. [[...he said ur "pa" found u...]]  
[[Personal assistant, right?]]

Mai groaned and threw her head back. [[Yes, she did...]]  
[[He called my office -must've been as soon as he found out- & asked me y I was crying]]  
[[I let him believe it was more Marik flashbacks]]

[[Well he doesn't believe u]]

[[Wait - *are* u still having flashbacks?]]

Mai rubbed her eyes, sighing; she had at least already washed her makeup off. [[*sigh* I'm gonna go take that bubble bath... I guess I'll talk with him when he gets home]]

[[YES. PLEASE. U 2 need to talk.]] The possibility of either of them ratting him out never even crossed his mind.

Her memories of Joey had been swirling in her mind all day. And now, she focused on finally having seen his face again last night. He had always been cute and adorable, but seeing how real maturity had settled over him was a more pleasant sight than ever before. Again, she typed out, 'I still love you, too,' stared at it awhile, then put the phone down with more sighs.

Joey picked his own phone back up to text Seto again. [[Kaiba. Go home to ur wife.]]

Seto was idly paging through another psychology book, this time purposely looking for anything on relationships. He looked at the message quizzically. [[What?]]

[[GO HOME. Mai is waiting for you.]]

Not exactly alarmed yet, he asked: [[What's wrong?]]

[[She just needs you.]]

[[WHEELER]]  
[[WHAT]]

Joey grunted. He turned the volume all the way down to completely silent, not even vibrate, and lay the phone face down on the coffee table. He fell back onto Yugi. "Your move, Kaiba."

* * *

He tried a few more times, but it did not take long for Seto to realize he was not going to get any more replies out of Joey. He jumped up and slipped the cell phone into his pocket. With a little flaring toss of his keys in the air, he had all he needed to march right out.

Down in the parking garage, he hopped right into one of the multiple silver cars lined up, and sped home. He left the car in the U-shaped driveway in front of the front entrance, and rushed inside. As soon as the front door was open, he started calling out for Mai. But the place was otherwise silent. He ran up the stairs, open suit-jacket flying out behind him, and down the halls to the master bedroom.

" _MAIII?!_ "

He burst through the door, to an empty bedroom. As he walked in, he instantly took in the scene of the half-empty wine bottle and completely empty wine glass on his night table, the wrinkled up comforter and scrunched pillows on his side, and Mai's cell phone in the indent left behind. In the next second, he recognized the sound of the bathtub running. _'She just needs you.'_ Teetering off the edge, his feet carried him towards the bathroom door where warm light flickered underneath, but Seto's mind went straight to the darkest place he knew.

His heart plummeted to his stomach and a shaky open hand rose to cover his open mouth. He kicked into crisis mode. He whipped out a computer screwdriver from inside his jacket and switched it to a pinpoint tip as he dashed the last few feet to the door. Unsteady hands used it to pop the lock, knowing there was no way to be prepared for what he expected to see, and that was why he was spurred on all the more. He jerked the door open as he stepped in.

Mai gasped and threw her hand up to her chest as she jumped back a little. She sat by the edge of the soaking tub in a fluffy white robe, her other hand testing the bubbly water. Her hair was clipped up out of the way, but a few tendrils had escaped and still hung down, framing her face. She exhaled, still looking to him in confusion. "Seto? What are you-" She took in his wretched state. "What's the matter?" Candles were lit all around on ceramic ledges, the vanity, and some other shelves, accentuating the hazy steam in the room.

Seto stood there, leaning on the door knob and door frame, mouth hanging open and eyes still stuck wide in horror anyway. He shook his head and gulped. His useless adrenaline rush left him unexpectedly exhausted. His eyes stayed glued to her as he walked in, tore his white jacket off on account of the steam. He fell to his knees in front of her, leaning over into her to grab her in a desperate hug. He pressed the side of his head into her bosom, hiding his face down from her. At last, he struggled to take a full deep breath.

"Uh, ah..." Mai leaned back, but brought her hands around onto his back, one of them leaving a wet handprint. " _Setooo?_ " she whined for an explanation. _He's... jealous?_

"I'm sorry," he picked his head up. "I just- I heard the water running- and-..." His voice lost its breath as he found her violet eyes. _"I got_ scared... _"_

She looked back and forth between him and the bubbly bathwater in the generously sized soaking tub. "What, did you think I was going to _drown?_ " she laughed.

Seto sighed. "No..." He backed off and slowly stood up. "No, that's not..." He leaned back against the vanity and tried to settle down. He ran his hand back through his hair, already feeling weird from the humidity, and puffed his wrinkled blue dress shirt off his chest to cool down. Noticing cool air at his back, he reached back to close the door. He tugged his already-loose tie off and began unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way, revealing his locket sticking to his chest. "I... uh..." He trailed off in a sigh, looking at Mai with big eyes and lips pressed in a frown, white knuckles gripping the edge of the slate counter behind him.

Mai studied him quizzically. "Are you _alright?_ "

"Yeah, ah, yeah..." He nodded his head around, looking anywhere but at her. His shallow breathing fought to get deeper.

Suddenly Mai stood and stepped up to him, clasping a palm over his heart, over the locket. He started a little, shocked, but knew there was no hiding how hard it was pounding. "No, you're _not,_ " she harshly chastised him.

He slid out from under her hand, across the counter, back toward the door. "No, Mai, I'm _not._ " He picked his jacket up off the floor, and continued talking as he left, leaving the door open. "You _knew_ this. You _know_ I used to be so much worse." He quickly tossed the jacket on the bed, grabbed another prescription bottle out of his night table drawer, then returned, closing the door again. He poured one pill out into his hand, then brandished the rattling pill bottle. " _ **I**_ will _**never**_ be **'** _ **alright!'**_ " He roughly slammed the pill bottle down on the vanity with a rattling _clack._ While Mai deadpanned him, he took the pill with a handful of water. Pleading eyes came back to her. "I can't even control my _physical_ heart!" He pointed to himself while slouching onto his other arm on the counter.

Mai dove right into his eyes. _'He knows I called u today.' Seto it's not..._ entirely _like you think!_

Seto pushed right back into hers. _Tell me. Make the choice yourSELF to tell me what happened!_

Mai cracked. She tore her eyes away and sighed. "Seto..." But she peaked back, fearful he may not want her to touch him at all, but his eyes were begging for it more than ever. "C'mere," she gently reached out up to his shoulders to hug him. He crumpled down to hold her fast.

His breaths came in gasps in the crook of her shoulder. "You _know_ I'm a _mess._ And I'm _sorry_ I can't be-..." _like him…_ Sweat glazed his brow; everything was too hot right now, too unstable.

"Oh, hush," she chuckled, rubbing his upper back lightheartedly. "You're _MY_ mess." She leaned away but raised her hands to his shoulders; her eyes forging paths for her hands to follow, down between the opened dress shirt panels, down his bared chest.

He felt his flesh become shaky; eyes cringed. _What else is she comparing?! We're the same age- both 8 years younger than her, but- he gulped, I never took P.E. with them so I wouldn't know how he-..._ His train of visual thought distracted him sufficiently without him even noticing. _  
_  
She slipped her hands in behind his shirt to wrap around him, clasping around his clammy sides, and startling him back to her. Their eyes clashed again.

 _Tell me!_

 _I'm cornered but I don't have to surrender..._ "Sweetie," she purred, "I _do_ know. I _know,_ alright? And, I _love_ you." She eyed him carefully.

He winced. _You're not going to tell me, are you..._

" _Seto,_ Seto..." She tried to ground him, hands on his strangely hot cheeks. "Do you want to take a bath with me?"

He threw his head around a bit, away from her touch, and in an effort to steady his consciousness from feeling faint. "No, ah, no, not right now. I need to cool off..."

"Alright, then," she slid her hands back down to the front of his pants, fingers tucked inside against his flesh. "How about a lil somethin else to help you relax?" She tugged as she waltzed around him toward the door.

His brow only half-heartedly raised, still sadly suspicious. "Like _what?_ "

She smirked, took his hands, and led him out of the bathroom. By coming onto his chest, feeling up his pecs on either side of his locket, then his clenching abs, and kissing along his prominent clavicle all at the same time, she controlled him into walking backwards, toward an armchair.

His breathing was already getting heavy again, hands rolling around the shoulders of her robe, trying to guide it to loosen up. He gasped as the back of his legs hit the seat of the chair and he plopped down into it.

"Something like," she bit her lip as her hands sensually travelled to the neck of his opened dress shirt. She brushed it off his shoulders and down his arms, feeling up from deltoids to extensors. She could see his chest heaving in excitement. His face had relaxed, fallen to entranced, heady, bedroom eyes and slack jawed.

She worked his torso and arms over some more, til he gulped and had to remind her. "If you really want anything, you'd better hurry. I'm waiting on _2_ downers to kick in, but..." He gingerly slid her hands down below his waistline, showing her how they had not just yet.

She smirked, tossed her hair back, and set to opening his KC belt. He interrupted her when he reached down to cup her chin. She looked up to him as he bent forward.

"Mai," his voice and eyes strained. He studied her eyes and face in tender silence. _I didn't think testing a kiss on him would make a difference. But you're also hiding his phone call from me. What did you say to him? If it was nothing- if it was not reporting on me, is that why are you still loving me so? But if it was not romantic, then why can't you tell me?_ He smiled wide, but bittersweet, as he swallowed. _Was it my_ greed? _What_ else _did I do?_ "I love you," he drew out once, twice. "I _love_ you." He added his other hand to her face, but he had nothing else to do but wait for her response.

She moved from his waist to place one hand over his on her cheek. "I love you, too, Hun." She smiled sympathetically at him. His eyes wanted hers there, but he would then shirk the connection, or at least not allow her as deep as usual. _Oh Hun, I know how you must be feeling, but you're safe with me, too...  
_  
They both leaned in for an overdue kiss. Below, she playfully resumed her fondling. They each parted the kiss simultaneously; she by grinning, and he from moaning and throwing his head back.

* * *

Seto sadly locked the door to his home office again. He slowly laid down on one of the couches and stretched out, staring into the void of the ceiling and recessed lighting. He groggily pulled his phone out, and fumbled it, smacking his chest. He held it up to his ear and propped it in his shoulder as he crossed his arms.

* * *

This time Joey's laughter was interrupted by Yugi's phone ringing. Joey got nervous again, and reflexively looked at the screen sitting nearby. Yugi had the contact saved as "SK – cell." Joey started groaning already. "Go ahead..." He fell back to splay out on the floor.

"Hey, Kaiba," Yugi answered as casually as possible.

"Yugi," his voice was small and very polite, "Um, my apologies for the late hour, but..." He took a deep breath. "Have you heard from Joey today?" He silently yawned and rubbed an eye.

Yugi cringed and looked over to Joey, lying on his bedroom floor. "Umm..."

Seto waited patiently, listening carefully and paying attention to every tiny nuance in his voice. He sighed. "I know he's there... Isn't he."

They both looked to Joey's backpack, then back to each other. Yugi clamored for a response. "Kaiba, what is this about?"

"Just put him on."

Joey jumped up and grabbed the phone out of Yugi's hand to yell at it. " _YOU CREEP!_ You know ya can't just be trackin' Duel Disks f'yer own sick paranoid delusions!"

Seto was taken aback by the volume change first, but then also by the accusation. "I- _didn't..."_ he deflected.

"I'm sure I agreed to some kinda 'terms and agreement' thing attached to this!"

Seto rolled his eyes. "You got yours when you _stole_ your invitation into Battle City, so no, even if I were to do that, YOURS would not be protected. But anyhow, I didn't need to. I just figured it out."He realized his words too late and winced, waiting for Joey to go off about his 'figuring' again. But neither said anything for a few moments as they both stewed. "I suppose Yugi knows everything then?"

"Yeah," Joey scowled.

"Listen, Joey..." He sighed. "Are you going home tonight or are you staying at Yugi's? If you're going home, then text me later."

"Did YOU go home?" Joey shot back.

"Yes, I'm home. Mai is... fine– Actually, listen. Did you think-..." He choked on actually voicing it.

"Did I t'ink _what?_ " he spat.

"Did you think she was going to... _do something?_ "

"Like _what?_ " _Pack a suitcase? Heh._

"You know. If she was upset and alone and thought that I wouldn't _be_ there... That she'd DO something? …to herself..."

"Oh," Joey gasped, stunned into unfortunate understanding. His mind raced, but he was able to answer truthfully. "No, not really. Not actively, at least, she wouldn't. She's not, like dat… Naw."

Seto gulped but was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief on the subject. "Alright, thank you..."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, dat's not what I meant before. She was just sayin' she was stressed 'bout you findin' out she was cryin n' all."

The relief was short lived. "So you spoke again before?"

Joey froze in panic, realizing he had just given himself away. "She texte-"

"I know you dweebs have always cared about her, but..." He bit his lip, not wanting to give in to the worry yet again. A more territorial accusation would hide any soft emotions. "But how long has this been going on?"

Joey was taken aback. " _Whaaa?_ How long has what-"

"You and her talking behind my back!" The hurt and anger and fear all mixed together in weakness.

Joey frowned. "'Bout as long as it's been since _YOU KISSED ME!_ "

Seto huffed a weak, humorless laugh. He had nothing more he felt he could say to Joey just yet. But his worries were not settled.

"Did you two talk?" Joey demanded.

"Not exactly," Seto answered lazily, smiling and remembering what they did instead.

Joey frowned to the side in thought. "Where is she right now thatchyer actually talkin on de phone?"

"She's upstairs in bed."

"Heh, an' yer down on the couch?"

Seto groaned. "I am on _a_ couch, in my office. So I wouldn't disturb her with this phone call." He cut Joey off before his sounds in response could form words. "Tonight did _not_ go the way you are thinking," he said, sure to sound sly so he would get the idea.

"Awright, _AWright,_ " Joey raised his voice.

Seto smirked silently.

Joey's cheeks turned red, and green. He waited almost a minute through a tense silence. When he finally spoke, it was in a fragile plea. "Kaiba why did you kiss me..."

Yugi's eyes darted to him, but Joey hid his eyes under his hair.

"You know, you kissed me, too."

Joey choked and grit his teeth.

Yugi's eyes widened and his jaw dropped for a second time that day.

"It was _you_ who went in for that last ten percent," Seto pointed out.

"Ya know what," Joey's heart thudded, "How 'bout I do text ya when I get home-"

"Why. Cuz your ex-boyfriend is listening?"

Finally Joey picked his puffy red face up, lips bit together hard, fighting to hold everything back while denying embarrassment. Yugi reached his hand out to his knee.

Seto continued. "What, you didn't tell him that part?"

Joey opened his mouth, but could not say anything that would not give away the frog in the back of his throat.

"Tch." Seto rolled his eyes. "Put Yugi back on."

Joey's arm dropped with the phone to his lap.

Yugi fished the phone out of his hand. "Kaiba, listen, you've got no right to be messing with Joey like this! What is it you even hope to accomplish?!"

"No, you listen." Seto's voice drifted away to monotone, too sedated to spit any real venom; only truth. "You tell him to either admit it, or deny it. All he keeps doing is repeating what happened - half of what happened, at that."

"What are you playing at here?! What does it _matter?!_ You've already cheated on Mai and if you're trying to make anyone jealous, it won't work!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble Yugi," he droned on in boredom, "But this isn't about you, or Mai." He paused to let the seriousness of that condition set in. "But it does matter to me. Now go ask if it matters to him. Because so far? The only answer I see is yes."

Yugi hesitated, trying to find Joey's face, who was turned away from him again. "It does," he said defeatedly. "But I'm not sure that's a good thing."

Seto sighed. "Goodnight, Yugi. Whatever the hour, I'll be waiting for his text."

"Kaiba, wait don't-" The call ended. Yugi held the phone in his lap and stared at it awhile, waiting, trying to give Joey a chance to do or say something. But Joey was frozen. "Joey, I know this isn't about me-"

"I wanted to," Joey suddenly spilled.

"Huh?"

He finally raised his head, to look up at the ceiling. "I wanted to kiss him. And it was _great…_ " He shook his head out. "I called Mai right after an' told her- not anyt'in bout dat but dat I love her, but we'd also met up last night at de cafe. And… I _wanted_ to kiss her, too, but I only kissed her cheek. The whole night with her was great, too. But... I dunno..." He sighed and dropped his chin to his pulled-up knees. "He knows I was lovin' it- and, and I did go in that last bit. It's just, when I saw him leaning in, it was like, mah brain just, like, forgot who we were, and I just saw _him_ ," he sadly chuckled through that frog, "I only saw the connections we have..." His giggle at last turned positively real. "And, well, _you know_ how hot he is."

Yugi giggled back. "But he's too tall!"

"Heh, maybe for you, Shortstack," Joey teased, ruffling his hand through his hair.

Yugi chuckled back again, happy to get him back to a good mood.

Joey drifted off in thought. "Don't let him get to ya."

Yugi's attention on him turned serious. "No, I know."

Joey rolled his tongue around. Comparing all these relationships, he realized the gravity behind everything Kaiba was doing and saying. His face quirked in shock, not believing his own conclusion even as he voiced it. "Kaiba... really likes me?" Yugi started parsing it out, as Joey continued. "I mean he's being a complete _dick_ about it, but..." His eyes squinted. "It wasn't only a kiss... He was tryina tell me somethin beforehand- I don't think even he knew. But- an' now tonight? He's all worried what I think of de whole t'ing?"

Yugi shrugged to the side. "I suppose- I mean, obviously, _I_ could see why anyone would like you," he grinned, "And you and Kaiba do have so much in common..."

"Not dat I t'ink he knows," Joey mused. _And Mai?_ "Hey, gimme yer phone?" Yugi unlocked it and handed it over. Joey flipped back through the messages with Mai, paused with the "what-ifs" question at the top, then handed it back to him. "And whaddaya make ah dat now?"

 _[[Do you ever think about what-ifs?]]_

 _[[Don't do this]]  
[[Mai no please]]  
[[U have a loving husband who u said is so good to u & I've never seen u look better]]  
[[DON'T FEEL GUILTY]]  
[[I wasn't asking for anything]]  
[[I told u that]]_

 _[[Joey]]_

 _[[I just want you to know]]_

 _[[STOP]]_

 _[[I'll always care for you, too.]]_

Yugi frowned. "Well, there definitely at least _used to be_ something between you two; it wasn't always one-sided... 'what-ifs...'" He sighed. "Unless she wants to leave him, I have no idea, Joey." He scooted over to lean his back against the side of Joey's knees.

Joey picked his head up as he got a poof of Yugi's hair in his face. He shrugged and sighed again. "I dunno. Probably just like, one of dose t'ings you always wonder about, but don't mean you really want to happen..."

They sat in silence for a moment, racking their brains, til Joey flattened back out in the floor with a long, frustrated grunt. Yugi yelped as he collapsed backward with him.

"Hey, Yuge?"

"Yeah, Joey?"

"Will you help me apply to colleges?"

* * *

At home, Joey's phone buzzed - a text, from Seto. Joey had already been home for a while and gotten relaxed again, enjoying being alone in the tv-lit peace and quiet; and knowing full well he was putting off texting him as instructed. He put down his chips. _Well, might as well keep all the bullshit confined to one day and not let it ruin tomorrow. Eh, maybe get it over with._ He opened it.

[[Wheeler, I apologize for our misunderstanding, and for my actions about the matter. I hope this will not affect your performance at work in any way. If you are still interested in modelling for Merchandising, contact Mai, me, or either of our staffs. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.]]

He sneered.

[[I know how hush money works, genius]]

[[This is not hush money. The modelling position I offered you this morning still stands, and obviously there is compensation included in that.]]

"Pfft," Joey rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, Kaiba. Keep tellin' ya lawyers dat."

[[And I left that text assuming you weren't going to get back to me tonight.]]

[[Anyway...]]

Joey touched his lips. _He can't tell Mai either._

[[You really regret kissing me?]]

Joey returned to the show he was watching, and when it ended, realized he still had not gotten a reply.

[[C'mon, you know I can't tell & I know you can't tell.]]

[[I already told you, I was trying to figure something out.]]

[[Figure WHAT out?]]

He groaned and rolled his head back.

[[Look, whatever it is, maybe I can help you.]]

He hit send before he could think about it. Then he quickly dove face first into a pillow. "Grrrd-dmmt Yuuugiii! Got me helpin fuckin Kaiba!"

A few minutes passed, then his phone finally buzzed again.

[[What you are doing in my life.]]

Joey read it first as an insult, feeling his blood boil as always. His mind raced at trying to decide on just the perfect comeback, but as he began to type, he returned to Seto's reply and read it again.

Suddenly, it did not sting, but felt both strange and familiar. It sounded more like someone who was innocently lost. He pictured Seto wandering through a twilight mist, mysterious and brooding. In real life, he always seemed so sure of his path at any moment, but truly, he was lost. _'What are you doing in my life, Wheeler?'_ he imagined Kaiba asking, completely befuddled by the blonde's very existence. It was a question for the void of the cosmos, but Joey remembered thinking the same thing about Yugi before they really became friends.

"Kaiba..." he gasped out loud. "Where do I belong... _in your life?_ " He realized it had already been a few more minutes, and he did not want to leave anyone hanging on a question like that.

[[I don't know...]]

[[I remember when we first met thinking we could be friends cuz we both played...]]

Seto was taking too long to respond, so he tapped a button and picked up the phone to call him. It rang and rang, but finally went to voicemail with Seto's most threatening business voice starting to speak. "Urgh," Joey sneered and ended the call before the voicemail message could finish.

[[helloooooo... You still there?]]

[[Yes.]]

[[Wtf I just called you! x*]]

[[I know. I watched it ring.]]

[[jfc...]]

In real life, however, he had to laugh at Seto's absolute absurdism, but then remembered the larger situation.

[[...is she there?]]

[[No.]]

[[Then pick up the phone and let's talk for real like adults for once!]]

[[FINE.]]

Seto had lied; he was back in bed with his phone on silent. He kissed Mai's shoulder as she slept, then headed to the bathroom. He initiated the call, but Joey barely let it ring.

"Ai'ight, Jackass, here's an _easy one,_ " Joey said immediately with a harsh tone that soared above even Seto's head. "Are you _gay?_ "

Seto's brow rose in delight with confidence about this indeed all too easy answer. "No." But then he turned those thoughts around, applied to Joey. "Are you?" he questioned, forehead furrowed once again.

Joey choked. " _Angh-nnn..._ Uhhh..."

Seto snickered with strained cheeks, trying to keep quiet. "If you have to think about it, then I think the answer is 'yes.'"

"Nnneh!" he began yelling back, "I like girls, too-!" Suddenly his mouth vacuumed itself shut with a gasping suction of " _Huhhhp!_ "

"Great," Seto said half sarcastically with rolled eyes. _So you_ are _into Mai, too._ "Good to know I haven't been going crazy all the years you haven't been able to keep your eyes inside your head. Or restrain yourself from jumping into fire. Now we're getting somewhere."

Joey's whole chin dipped into a deep frown as he strained his neck up to the ceiling. Still trying to be courteous of his neighbors, he kept his screaming down to groans of anguish.

A subconscious pang of doubt shot through Seto. His eyes froze, horrified at the prospect of dissent. "But then- did you actually- _not_ enjoy that? This morning?"

Joey fell back to earth, eyes opened wide.

Seto quickly continued, "Is that why- at Yugi's you-"

"I did." The words marched out of his mouth, with thought only following behind them. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Why, dough?! WHY did you do dat?! Huh?! Why you still messin wit' me?!" his voice whined at the end.

"I am not _trying_ to _mess_ with you."

"Don't- don't fuckin do dis ta me... "

"Listen, I've been doing a lot of reading, and-"

"Yeah, what else is new?"

"-aaand continuing to work on myself. And-"

"What, do you like..." Alone, the jumble of nerves kicked up inside him like an electrostatic plasma ball of light streaks going crazy. Finally, it lept out. "You _like me_ or sumptin?"

Seto groaned out exaggeratedly. "You _imbecile._ " He rubbed his forehead as he leaned forward onto his knees.

Joey cringed. It was exactly what he feared hearing, but also what he expected. _Played me for a complete sucker. Proba'ly just wanted to get me to ask that so he could say no and laugh!_ He shook his head. "Whatever. I'll sign dose papers tomorrow with Mai den. Bye." This time he snatched the opportunity to copy hanging up abruptly.

Seto was left sitting confused, staring at his phone's home screen.

* * *

 **A/N:** Tangled: The Series' second season has started, now titled Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, so I'm also writing fic for that now, too, apparently. And there's another shipping event going on there. I started another whole new shorter story for last week's angst-week, and now I'm [working on something] for fluff-week. So I'm keeping myself quiiite busy with writing! And video editing... For both Tangled and YGO... Good thing I basically have the summer off!

We've got what, like 2 more chapters to go here? Gettin close! Oh, and btw, can you find the YGO meme Easter egg?

Come find me at **kaiba-fangirl** on tumblr!


	7. When Worlds Collide

**A/N:** Chapter 6 - Caught In Between has been slightly reformatted to try to help with ease of reading the text messages. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know!

Edit: Aug 20, 2019. Oh, yikes! _None_ of my line breaks came through correctly. Fixed!

* * *

 **When Worlds Collide**

 _playlist on YouTube at Ettu Ch7_

Mai watched herself ride into the abandoned lot, past Joey's side of the blue-green glowing ring. She abruptly parked and hopped off the motorcycle. Joey stood by, frozen, in a suit of armor that looked like it had formed out of his Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

His opponent stood in a regular robo suit of armor of blue and white, but the smooth voice she heard come from it was not who she was expecting. "Why hello there, _Mai._ You're just in time to watch me mop the floor with this second-rate _chump._ "

 _That's not Valon!_ Mai thought out loud. _That's-!_ Her heart ached in confusion. _But no, this can't be- this isn't how it happened._

"You and I had a _deal,_ " her counterpart yelled in her bitchiest tone, "Remember?! Joey Wheeler's _MINE!_ " She stomped toward Joey's opponent, but jolted when she stepped too close to the crackling turquoise energy of the seal.

Joey called out to her in concern. "Mai, no!"

That Mai remained locked on the other player. "Look- you've done enough, so why don'tcha take a hike and let _me_ finish this!"

"Heh," he smirked under his visor. "Sorry, no can do. I've come _too far_ to stop now. Plus, this duel is no place for _you._ "

Mai and herself stood in the same place to answer. "Why's _that?_ " Both versions of herself crossed their arms, ready to contend with a sexist remark.

"There's too much at stake. I won't let _you_ risk losing everything you've gained here. That's why I texted Wheeler in the first place. To _protect_ you."

 _Oh…_ Mai found herself watching from above again, distraught. Her other self was silent, uncaring.

"The past is over," he continued. "I want to get _rid_ of him so you'll finally be able to move _on_ with your life, and not look back. And that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

 _But Seto,_ she called out, _I have! I have moved on from this!_

"Guess what?" Joey called out as well, not hearing her. "I'm fightin' for the same reason!"

"Then get on with it already," Seto groaned.

* * *

Across town, Joey tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

His heart floated around in confusion, and his mind kept replaying the previous day. The nervousness of being in Seto's office. The thrill of seeing him lean in. The fire and lightning as they kissed. His hands finally touching that sculpted chest, tracing that prominent collarbone, fingers sinking into his fine hair, as their tongues slipped past each other.

His hips twinged in the skinny jeans he had not bothered to change out of. He moaned with slight annoyance, but listened to his body. He tossed back the covers and padded to the bedroom door. He did not hesitate to head out to the hall, on his way to the bathroom, but the constant hypervigilance was always lying right beneath the surface. Alone in the dark, his mind at least rationalized it as the fear of burglars or others breaking in. An easy smile of pride came upon him as he opened a closet door, and grabbed a new box of tissues from the well-stocked and relatively straightened shelves.

He plopped back on the bed and returned to his reverie.

* * *

"Play your last pathetic card," Seto spat.

"Heh…" Joey rubbed under his nose,"You're gonna hafta wait, pal- 'cause I play one card facedown and end my turn!"

" _Big mistake._ And I'm not your _pal._ I activate Monster Reborn! Which lets me bring back Buster Pyle! Time for the last attack of the duel, _Wheeler._ "

"Not quite! I have _dis!_ I activate my Scapegoat magic card!"

"So you've got a dweeb army," Seto sneered. "Am I supposed to be scared to attack."

" _My_ armor's got a special power, too. Lord a' de Red is able ta destroy every other monster on the field!"

"Kaiser Glider! Attack Mirror Knight number three!"

Joey leapt up high in the air with a battlecry, his plates sleek black and glowing red.

The next time she looked at Seto's armor, it was dragonified just like Joey's, only his resembled his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Shiny silver and burning with blue energy, Seto rushed at Joey. "There's no _way_ your armor can beat mine! Different Dimension Dragon! Attack her again!" Seto cried out to match him.

The two met midair, in a blinding explosion of light and fire.

Mai watched her other self shield her eyes, but she did not need to. Still, both were shocked and shaken when they saw who had landed on his face: the blue-armored duelist.

Joey, on the other hand, landed just fine on his dragonified boots.

This time around Mai watched him more closely, how sad and deeply regretful he seemed as he stared at his fist. _He doesn't want to be fighting like this…_

Seto managed to stand up, but the blue and white armor dissipated, revealing his full face at last, and allowing his white trenchcoat to flow freely. "My Blue-Eyes armor's gone!" he growled, then made a fist. "But I'm not going anywhere, so this duel's not over yet, Wheeler!"

* * *

Laying beside Mai in the cool darkness of the bedroom, Seto could not sleep, either.

Worry gripped his mind still, but his body had calmed down. _What if she leaves me for him? I'm done for. What if she leaves me for him? I'll be fine as always- But WHAT IF she leaves me for him? Then I'll be all alone. Without either of them…_

 _Mai is_ mine. _My wife, my partner, 'my person.' She's independent, her own person, so strong… Mmm, bitchy, snobby, sassy, feisty-_ he smirked lovingly, _She understands me. I never expected it, but since having her, I will never let her go. She's in my charge, and I AM committed to that. I am loyal to her. It's my job to protect her- my duty- that I take pride in! My responsibility to take care of her- and make sure she's happy…_

 _-and wait- why do I feel that same pull of feelings towards_ Joey, _too?! ...he's brash, he doesn't take my bullshit, he's resilient. I've seen him lay his life down for Yugi, and his soul down for Mai - he understands that type of commitment. And his sister- and his father-_ He felt something in his chest twinge with the memory of merely hearing through the door, the sound of suits dragging a kicking, screaming, and crying Mokuba away from his study room. _Joey's been there, too._

 _...why did the play group never shove THIS in my face? Why did they never explain WHY I should care about Joey. Even if_ nothing else, _they never tried the one thing I would so obviously_ respect?

* * *

The Orichalcos-bound Mai idly looked back to Joey, and Mai's eyes followed hers.

"It's been nice knowin' ya!" Joey lunged in for another attack.

"I don't think so!" Seto's gravelly voice announced. "Activate trap!" His fist began glowing blue once more, and it was he who caught Joey in the gut. Seto smiled with sinister delight. "I'm one step ahead of you, _as always._ "

 _Oh no!_ Mai cried out, helplessly watching the scene, knowing that she should know what to expect, but still caught by surprise.

Joey coughed up blood onto the arm that had made contact, before being blown tumbling backward. It took him a while to get back on his feet, and even when he did, he is still shaking. "Maybe, but I have _one_ more shot to take you down. And dere are _way_ too many people countin' on me to let _you_ walk away with a victory!"

"Quiet. I'm not gonna let some mind trick stop me from winning this duel. That lunatic seized control of my company, and I'm prepared to do whatever I have to to get it back! Do I make myself clear."

Mai heard a glimmering sheen, and looked down to see her other self grabbing her head, as the stone on her choker glowed. _Huh? The Orichalcos… I really wasn't myself during this, was I. -But, who do I root for_ now _?_ Both duelists were panting hard, grimacing at each other. _I remember Joey and Valon almost liking each other by the end. Not so for these two…_ She felt her heart splitting in more ways than she could understand. She closed her eyes without losing sight of the field, and bit her lip as she felt her chest struggle to breathe.

"The rest is up to fate," Joey said.

"Too late!" Seto retorted.

Joey grunted as he pulled out his Dragon Knight card. "The Claw of Hermos!"

Seto pulled his out right in turn. "Fang of Critias! Remove Joey Wheeler from the game once and for all!"

 _What is going on!_ Mai began crying in utter despair and confusion.

They collided evenly this time, in the center of the field, in the largest explosion yet. The blinding light obscured the entire field, contained only by the seal, and so it was forced to expand straight up to the sky like a beacon.

 _I know how this ends…_ She clutched the rings on her left hand with her right, held both hands to her heart, and a single tear escaped.

When she could finally see again, it was to the sight of Seto's armor dissipating again to reveal him in a slim tailored navy business suit. The rest of the momentum had sent him skidding backwards. His life points hit zero. He smirked, but with a sarcasm that meant self-loathing and the acceptance of defeat. "Figures Wheeler'd screw things up."

"It's my fault," Mai heard her other self gasp, just as she thought it again.

"Shut up," he gently chastised her. "It's not your fault. It's ours. It's Marik's. It's anyone else's. I thought if I could save you, I could make you forget-…"

Joey suddenly spoke up. "But now I see why he means so much to you. De guy's got heart."

Mai stared in shock at Joey, watching the pain in his face already, just from having won this duel.

Seto responded, "It's up to you, now, Wheeler. Save Mai."

Tears flowed down her cheeks. The seal moved past Joey, and her eyes followed it as it shrunk in around her husband. _"SETO!"_ she shrieked, and began running towards him.

Yet she heard from behind her, Joey's voice: "Congratulations, Mai. You win."

Mai's stomach sank. She stopped in her tracks and whipped her head around, to see Joey's knees buckle from underneath himself as well. She looked back to Seto, to find him also incapacitated, hanging in the turqouise light as his soul filtered out of his body. Back to Joey; he was in the same position.

 _I know you'll make the right decision,_ she still heard Joey's voice echoing over the battlefield.

"NOOO!" she screamed her heart out.

* * *

Seto heard Mai's breathing strain, and turned his head to look. She lay flat on her back, with her jaw drooping open. He heard her struggle to moan out a small noise.

" _Nnngh…_ "

He waited, staring at her in the dark, trying to determine if she was alright. Not sure but not convinced she was fine, he leaned up on his elbows. "Mai?" he asked quietly.

* * *

She ran to him in his Red Eyes armor, but when she caught him, he was back in his soft denim jacket, T-shirt, and jeans. She brushed the wispy blonde hair out of his barely open brown eyes.

He kissed her cheek. "I love you with all my heart and soul."

"I," she cried, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

She saw him reply. [[DON'T]]

She blinked and the next thing she knew, she was kneeling and pulled the other duelist into her lap. She removed the blue and white helmet, revealing brunette hair and blank blue eyes - and it was still as she feared. It was not the same man she had comforted so long ago and then left forgotten to the Orichalcos. No. This was the one and only Seto Kaiba. _Her_ Seto Kaiba. His soul was gone but she could still feel his love, and swore she could hear him saying her name.

" _NOOOOO!_ " he screamed again. Abs contracted again as she doubled over-

* * *

-at the same time sitting her up. Her throat felt different than it had a moment ago; like only now had it actually been used. And someone's hands were already gripping her shoulders.

"Mai?! MAI!"

She could not tell whose voice it was, like she was trying to listen through the foggy shadows once more.

"MAI! Wake up!"

She could finally recognize she was in a bed.

" _Please_ wake up, Mai!" She heard his voice strain and somehow she expected laughter following this. "It was just a _dream!_ "

' _You were in my dream,'_ she heard a memory of Joey repeating it to her as she simultaneously thought it about Seto in the present. But nothing made sense. She opened her eyes.

* * *

Satisfied and snuggled back in his bed, Joey's eyelids drooped. His phone fell out of his hand as he conked out.

* * *

Those blue eyes staring at her were very much alive now, and worried. That chestnut hair stuck out in staticky disarray. "Mai?" He held her face.

She blinked, but every other time she blinked, she would see that same concerned look back on the brown-eyed blonde instead.

Seto had been straddling over her, but now moved and pushed her legs so they swung off the side of the bed, then sat beside her. He laid far back to reach and grab the water bottle from his night table. He took the cap off, then held her hand as he put her fingers around it. "DRINK," he frantically commanded. "It was just a dream. You're okay. You're safe."

She fumbled getting her lips to the opening, but finally did. With each refreshing sip, she came fully back to reality. She had not realized she had been hyperventilating, but now, drinking the water forced her to breathe slowly through her nose.

His left arm loosely wrapped around her lower back; his right rubbed at his face, and covered it as his mind raced. His hip leaned away from hers.

Her mind gradually cleared up, as she continued sipping at the water. They were sitting on her side of their bed. His night lamp was on. It was this year, not way back in the past. Although, the past few days had been an emotional rollercoaster indeed. Frankly, looking back on it, she was not surprised by the dream.

"You were screaming..." Seto finally said.

Mai remembered Joey's love-confession phone call and everyone's secret texts. She froze. "What did I say?" she asked, terrified all over again.

Seto finally looked at her, though both of their eyes showed little more than large dark abysses. _I would LOVE to know,_ he thought sarcastically about the unspoken phone call issue. "At first it just sounded like 'no,' but then you kept muttering that you were sorry, yelled 'no,' again, and just started screaming... in terror."

Mai breathed easy again. _I didn't say anything that would've..._

Seto watched her, becoming distraught himself. " Mai... What is going ON with you?"

Mai hung her head. "I'm sorry," she offered consciously this time.

Seto clenched his teeth, physically bracing for an emotional hit.

But instead of any break up words, he felt her throw herself against him. Her face pressed to his chest, arms wrapped around his torso, then up his back to hook onto his shoulders. "I love you," she said sadly, apologetically.

Seto's arms hung out awkwardly in the air, unsure if he wanted to return the embrace. He felt his frustration growing into anger, and so purposely forced himself to stop. His commitment to her was what he chose to focus on. He placed his hands lightly on her shoulder blades. "Mai," he stated compassionately, but also posed it as a challenge to her. "What were you dreaming about?"

"Seto, _please,_ " she whimpered, trying to pull his arms around her.

He sighed and complied. He scooped her over, to sit sideways on his lap, then hugged her fully. "I'm right here. You're alright. You're safe." He tenderly pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I… _I love you,_ alright?" he tried a thinly veiled plea. _I do, so please don't-..._

"I know, but no, it was _you_ this time…" she cried to his chest, finding the dream difficult to remember, let alone explain.

Seto blanched. He switched tracks and furrowed his brow. "What was me?" _Did_ I _-_ "Did _I_ hurt you?!"

"No," she shook her head. "No no, Hun. You were… in Valon's place…"

"Valon?"

"From Paradisa-"

"Oh, oh, yeah…" he remembered. "Why was I in _his_ place? I had one of the Dragon Knights; and with the stock grab-" He rubbed his face and shook his head. "Why would _I_ have been working _with_ Dartz?"

Mai was shaking her head again. "Not that part…"

He tilted his head at her.

She took a deep breath, "Valon ran off and singled Joey out, to try to protect me from dueling him myself, because I…" She sniffled, trying to maintain her thoughts. "But it wasn't him. _You_ were fighting Joey."

Seto bit his lip. He clutched her close, while he looked far into distant nothingness behind her. "Who… who won?"

"He did-" She replayed the order in her mind. "He beat Valon, but I don't know this time. Cuz then I…" She hesitated but then sobbed out. Her body shook with crying. "I don't know, I don't know. I'm not sure, but I know I was holding you. You both lost because I... I'm so sorry..."

Seto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but could not remember the story about what had actually happened. " _I'm_ sorry," he pleaded instead. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember, much… about all that." _Just when we found Joey- and the other guy I guess. We didn't- well, at least I didn't know what had happened exactly._

She sighed. "It's alright, don't worry about it," she dismissed with disappointment.

"No." Seto pulled her away to look in her eyes. "I didn't say I wouldn't help."

Mai felt herself tremble at the determination she saw in his, but also with fear over any of them finding the true meaning of this dream.

He brushed her hair back, his brow pinched with concern and worry, knowing he could not deny how his heart was connected to hers now, and just how much he wanted them to keep that connection. He needed to keep _her_ safe and happy. "We'll figure this out. Do you want some tea, and we can talk more downstairs?"

She sighed as acquiescence. "On a couch?" was her only stipulation.

"Of course." He tilted her chin up, ignoring his paranoia at last, focused only on how eager he was to reconnect their lips.

Mai watched him desperately, and met them without disappointment.

Downstairs, Mai waited already curled up in a short satin robe, on a deep cushiony sofa in a cozy personal living room, while he quickly prepared two cups of tea for them. Seto entered with the two teacups on a silver tray, in his dark blue fleece robe. He set the tray down on a coffee table, then handed her one cup. "I cooled them enough to drink right now," he noted.

She smiled sweetly as she took it. "Thank you."

He nodded with a prideful smile himself, then took his cup and sat down near her. Mai immediately shifted to cuddle up to him, which he happily accommodated with his arm around her. They both drank in silence before he finally re-broached the topic. "So, refresh me on _Paradisa._ "

Mai recounted her side of the story, and Seto listened carefully. In no time, she had tears freely flowing, and his cheeks were heating up. She explained the once-upon-a-time love triangle, and then again how _he_ and Joey duked it out in her dream.

"I think I remember hearing other people shouting, even though it was just the three of us, for you to not attack _me_ for some reason-"

Seto choked while taking a sip. "What? How could you _remember_ THAT?" _That WASN'T you! That- it- it couldn't have been!_

"Well, I mean, from what I _remember_ in the _dream_." Mai shrugged and took another sip.

Seto bit his lip, and his tongue.

She continued on, unsure what exact conclusions to draw from it all. _They hate each other, end of story, right?_ "In the end, both of you lost, but it was _me_ who took your souls for the Orichalcos..."

He cleared his throat, terrified. His instincts were going haywire, only spitting out suggestions about traps, bluffs, or- _Sacrifice…_ "I…" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I know that's all over. But, um, I've been wanting to talk to you about… him."

"About Joey?" Mai went stiff with panic.

"Yes," he swallowed. "I've been talking with him about modeling for your upcoming fashion merchandise." They both breathed easy at the topic of work. "Would you be alright with that?"

She doubleblinked, but nodded. "Yeah, sure! Of course."

"Yugi, Joey, _y-you_ , and, um, Veronica."

"Not you?" she asked, saddened.

"No," he chuckled. "I like your stuff, and everything about it. But I'm not interested in doing a fashion photoshoot."

She smirked, but accepted it. "Tch, oh, _al-riiight_."

Seto's mirth disappeared again as he thought of the two of them alone in her office, _'signing papers.'_ He asked quietly and gently, "Do you think you'll be able to work with him?"

Startled by the weight she felt in that question, she turned to look at him. He turned as well, locking their eyes. _Seto,_ she felt her heart cry out, reaching for him, _I love you. I do not want to leave you- You've changed and I trust that there is nothing you would ever do that would make me want to leave…_ "Yes…" she whispered, then smirked. "You really do worry too much." She reached out to cup his cheek, and he slightly nuzzled into it.

"It's my job." He took her wrist, and moved her hand to kiss her palm, then held her hand there. "I will do whatever it takes to help you. To put an end to these nightmares, to advance and promote your work, to make sure that you are _happy._ "

Mai beamed at him. "I know that."

"And understand… how, _important_ you are to me."

"I know that, too." But her brow furrowed. "Seto, I love you. I just hope _you_ can understand that. And... that I _am_ happy here with you."

He welcomed and poured over her reassurance, but then winced. "Maybe, your dream- are you sure you wouldn't be happier somewhere else?"

Mai took a deep breath and shook her head immediately. "After talking it out, I think my dream was more about stopping _you two_ from fighting. Joey is _just a friend._ "

Seto was taken aback at her frank comfort with the topic and quick, adamant conclusion. "Alright," he smiled, finally feeling like, without having to say so many words, his concerns had been both acknowledged and quelled.

However, Mai continued, doubling down. "He's been a very good friend, but, whatever he's ever felt about it, to _me_ , he's _always_ been _JUST_ a friend and he'll never be anything else more than that." Her stomach twisted. _But that's what I've decided and I'm sticking to it!_

Seto raised a brow at her insistence, but as he studied her, he chalked it up to her zoning out into her own world. "Alright, then," he nodded, "I trust you." He smiled a little and began sitting up. His arm around her rubbed her back, and he leaned over to kiss her temple. He nuzzled her there for a moment, for after feeling the full expression of his love for her, the next feeling wanted to do the same with another blonde. _To protect him, help him, to see him get revenge on his own parents, to see him panting-…_

"Back to bed?" she asked, calm and beyond content with him. The swell of regret from an entire missed life, was pushed to the back. _Never kiss him, never hold him in bed and snuggle, never get to tell him the_ truth _..._

"Yeah," Seto nodded his head clear and smiled. "Yeah."

Together, hand in hand, and sharing a look of impossible love, they headed back upstairs.

* * *

Joey's leg would not stop jiggling. He sat slouched in a waiting chair, hands shoved in his black hoodie pockets, and trying really hard not to stare over at Mai's office door. Windows on either side of the door were frosted over, revealing only vague shadows as she milled around with the men she was meeting with.

His nerves had worked him up into a stomachache twice over already, when the door finally opened. He jolted upright in his seat, which the first old man noticed and laughed about.

Mai continued her pleasantries as they exited. "So we'll be in touch. Thank you," she cooed with her sweetest yet sternest voice and looks. She did not waste any effort on bowing deeply in her tight low cut grey blouse with pinstripe corseted waist and matching pencil skirt.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Kaiba." the red-faced man replied with a shy fluster as they left.

From her doorway, Joey caught her eye through the glaze over her whole expression. She straightened up and cleared her throat, still hugging a file folder with importance. "Mr. Wheeler?" she called out to him with an eager smile slipping out.

A rock plunked onto Joey's stomach, but he jumped to his feet. He shuffled over to her door, which she held open for him to awkwardly pass as he walked in. "Um, thanks," he mumbled.

Mai closed the door behind them and finally allowed her facade to transform to genuine delight. "Well it's nice to see you again, so soon!"

"Huh?" Joey turned back, but was still unable to meet her eyes. "Oh, huh, yeah…" he mumbled again, almost drowsily.

Mai noticed the state he was in. "Are you okay?" All her joy drained away. "Joey, ah-..." _The last time we talked, I almost said…_

Joey shook his head out. Avoiding eye contact, he plastered on a big smile and rubbed his neck. "Yeah, sorry! I'm good, I'm good! Just tired, I guess."

Mai returned a fake but worried smile, then busied herself with moving files around. "If you say so…"

Joey stared into space toward the shuffling papers. _It's not that and I know it._ "No, I'm not tired. I just…"

She stopped and looked up to lock eyes with him.

"Mai," he strained, "What is goin' _on_ witchyu 'n Kaiba? I mean, last night it sounded like you were about to say…" He anxiously licked his lips. "Somet'in' dat woulda _destroyed_ you two…"

"Joey, I-" she softly protested, but froze, with no clue what to say. Her eyes got distracted looking him up and down, while her mind only compared him to the version of himself in her dream. Physically, his frame had filled out ever so slightly with marks of adulthood, but his stance was as confident as ever. _'I'm fightin for de same reason!' Oh Joey, you're too good for this world. You're still worried you need to save me from myself?_ "I was just- _drunk,_ " she offered, then quickly moved back to the papers. "Anyway, so I'll go over the contrac-"

"I tell you that-" Joey interrupted, his frustration turning cocky. "I finally, _say_ THAT- an you don't say it back, fine, but you start _cryin?_ You weren't drunk _at work._ "

Mai bit the inside of her lip and looked away to the floor.

"You _lie_ ta your husband about _why_ you're cryin, den you start textin me all dat?"

 _That's far enough- you're too close._ Her attention darted back to him with a scowl. "Whee-" She froze, then tried to calmly restart. "Joey. Do you honestly believe I don't love my _husband?_ That after all my struggles with loneliness, that I would enter- and stay- in a loveless marriage?"

Pushing through how offended he was, Joey did answer. "To fill the void with money and power- _maybe._ "

"So you think I'm just-"

"No, no, I don't think dat's- 'at- Dat's not _wrong_ to want or to do that, but-"

"But you don't think _he_ loves me," she snapped.

Joey blanched again as he shrugged and dropped the eye contact. "I dunno." He thought a moment, then looked back up, ticked again. "If ya _are_ so happy, den why're ya still havin' nightmares?"

"Joey," she leveled at him with all seriousness. "I am but that's got _nothing_ to do with it."

"Ah-" he tried to interrupt-

But she would not let him. "When he came home last night, he was in a _panic_ that something had happened to me, just because he heard _through the grapevine_ that I was crying for a minute yesterday. A _minute._ When _ever_ I wake up from a nightmare, _he_ is _right_ there, taking care of me. He _has_ changed since you two were in high school, _all_ for the better. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't happy. And free. A flirtatious trick now and then to get my way is one thing- I do that in tournaments and with businessmen, yes. But I'm not doing that with _him_. That would be _day in_ , and _day out_ , where, if I didn't truly want to be here, in this _relationship_ , I'd be unhappy and stuck, just for what? This job? The money- that _can't_ be separated from the _stress_ of being atop this whole empire?"

Joey pursed his lips and drifted off, listening intently, and trying to look at himself from her perspective. _I'm just worried, but…_ He finally winced. _I have to trust her._ "I-... I'm sorry, Mai…" _He's there for you? He's really there for you… when I wasn't…_ "I just worry about you. But I trust you."

Mai sighed but smiled. " _Thank_ you." She paused and licked her lips. "Joey, I've always told you, I appreciate the concern. And I know I've said each time I've screwed my life up that 'I'm fine, I'm fine,' but this time I really am. I am in _such_ a good place right now. I still want to stay friends with you, but, then, yeah, I _need_ you to _trust_ me in my own life decisions."

Joey genuinely smiled slightly. "I'm glad you're happy." He nodded but then resorted back to trying to lighten the mood. "Okay. Okay, so, what _is_ all dis here? Looks like I'm signin a _lease._ "

Mai chuckled, but flipped to three pages in. "Well, first let me explain the privacy policy."

Less than an hour later, Mai exhaled a deep breath. "Alright, well! That's everything."

"Alright," Joey smiled, nervous about this time ending, but also excited to know exactly when and where he would see her again, which made him more nervous though. "So, I'll see ya, Thursday?"

"Mm-hm!" she beamed for the same reasons. "See you then!"

"See ya." He waved as he opened the door and took one step out.

But Mai stopped him as he stood right in the doorway. "Ah," she gasped, "Joey, wait-"

He turned back, now painfully self-conscious of all the other people on the floor, glancing over their cubicles. He thought he had his nerves under control throughout the meeting, but now his heart began pounding in his ears.

"I…" Mai rushed up to him, getting lost again in his warm, welcoming, honey-brown eyes. "I'm _sorry,_ " she quietly choked out to him, a single wistful plea of what could have been.

Joey's brow pinched in worry yet again. "Mai," he whispered, "Are you sure-" _you're okay?_ "D'ere's uh, nothin' else I could do for you? Seriously, _anythin_ at all?"

Mai glanced away to her personal assistant in the closest cubicle. "No," she shook her head, then looked back to his eyes, startled how comforting he still looked. _I love you,_ her mind automatically produced. She gasped slightly at herself. "Uh, thank you, though."

He smirked sadly. "Alright then," he nodded. "See ya."

* * *

With the foldered contract under his arm, Joey marched right past Jenny's desk and down the short hall to Seto's door.

"Huh?" Jenny did a double take. "Hey! You can't just go in there! Stop, you!"

Joey ignored her. He pushed right on through the door, and only stopped his advance once he was standing in the middle of the office.

With a phone receiver at his ear, Seto swiveled around in his desk chair at the sound of the intrusion, just in time to see Jenny step in and halt. "I'm gonna have to call you back." He hung up. Then, still stone faced, looked Joey right in his fiery eyes.

"I'm sorry, sir-" Jenny began.

"It's alright," Seto said with a surprising calm. "Leave us."

"Yes, sir!" She bowed out and secured the door behind her.

Joey's heart was still racing and his breathing heavy. His nerves were set and steeled, but he waited to be addressed.

Seto stared him down, waiting for an outburst from him like how he had burst into the room. "Well?"

"You win," Joey spat, "Alright? Ya already won. I lost. I wasn't even a _contendah._ But whet'er she's _just_ a friend or if she evah coulda been sumptin' more, I've loved her wit' all my _heart_."

Seto took a sharp breath in indignation, thrown with the topic, and terrified by what he was hearing.

"So _tell me, KAIBA_ ," Joey grit his teeth, " _Why_ is she still havin' nightmares?"

Seto blinked, surprised again by the sharp turn. " _What?_ "

"I'm talkin' about MAI!"

"I know who you're talking about," Seto sneered, then suddenly stood up. "And I _have tried_ EVERYTHING I can think of to get Marik out of her head, including bringing _you_ back around. But now she's just having nightmares of you and _I_ fighting!"

Joey blinked back this time. " _What?_ "

Seto came around his desk, calm once more. "I don't know what else to do." He crossed his arms again. "I'm open to suggestions. But no matter how long she suffers from our past failures, I will always be there to talk her down."

"But she's still-"

"Nightmares aren't Shadow Games. She's in no danger."

Joey narrowed his eyes at his words and smirked. "T'ought you din't believe in Shadow Games?"

Seto narrowed his eyes in turn. "Get out of my office."

Joey just smirked and shifted his stance, also crossing his arms. "Is dis why you kissed me? To see if I was still into _her?_ "

Seto's eyes went wide as his pupils dilated. He gritted his teeth and his neck strained. But he froze, insults stuck to the tip of his tongue.

Joey giggled in triumph. "See, all ya had to do was ask _dat._ "

"That…" Seto choked on his thoughts and squeezed his fists tight. "Is…" He felt his chest tighten, trying to get the compliment out. "An excellent observation and analysis."

"Weh-" Joey blanked. "Wait- really?"

Seto just grunted. _But you're still off - not that I'll tell you, since you clearly want nothing to do with me._ For the first time, he realized he did not like the thought of that. "You signed the modelling contract with Mai?"

"Yeah," Joey answered, trying to come up with something else to get him to talk about things that actually mattered. "Does _she_ know ya into guys?"

"That's none of your business," Seto rhetorically threw out as an answer, but then continued. "But as her _'friend,'_ what I _will_ insist be your business, is that you get to the bottom of these mental disturbances."

"' _Mental disturbances?'_ " Joey repeated with a sneer, offended by the wording.

"Don't look at me like that. You know how serious I take such things, and this is affecting her sleep and well-being. As her husband, it's my responsibility to care for her health, and it's-"

"Yeah," Joey shrugged, "But as her _boss_ \- as _President of Kaiba Corp_ \- can'tcha just hire a shrink?"

Seto tilted his head. "A _shrink._ You think _any_ psychologist or psychotherapist is going to take her seriously about Shadow Games and Ancient Egyptian artifacts causing PTSD?"

Joey scratched his cheek. "Ehh…"

"This is our fault, so _we_ have to fix this."

Joey crossed his arms. "Pfft, ya mean _your_ fault."

"OURS," Seto bellowed. "YOU." He pointed. "You failed to save her." Just as quickly, he fell sullen again. "And I could have prevented it all with better security measures."

 _Better secur-?!_ Joey just rolled his eyes and shook his head, letting it go. His cheeks were red enough thinking of those failures he could not deny.

Seto took a deep breath. "I have to fly out to China."

"Well dat at least explains the weird getup." Joey openly eyed him up and down, mentally whistling.

On this odd day out, Seto wore a full three-piece wine red sharkskin textured suit, with a black dress shirt, and even odder white tie with a five-leafed cloverleaf Chinese knot. He merely looked up, right back at him. "Hong Kong, to be precise."

Joey looked down and away, but uncrossed his arms to shove his hands in his jeans pockets. A pout came up as his head slouched down to meet his shoulders. His own powder blue T-shirt was revealed to show Pusheen the Cat eating a slice of pizza. "A-anyway, why are you tellin' me dat?"

Seto could ignore the too-cute cartoon character, since his eyes were pulled down to the waist of his jeans. He shook his mind clear. "Figure it out."

 _We could be alone - but he'd know. Pfft, lame trap. Again, like I'm an amateur._ Joey furrowed his brow as he straightened out the rest of his posture. "You expectin sumptin ta happen? Cuz I _told_ you dat ain't happenin. I'm sure she's told you even better. She doesn't want me like dat." He scoffed and rubbed his nose as he relaxed. "I can't believe I'm sayin' dis, but ya got nuttin' ta worry about."

Seto sighed. "You dolt, I mean TALK to her."

Joey looked around the office as he thought back on the previous night of secret texts and phone calls, compared to the previous afternoon he was in the same office. He noted just how comfortable he surprisingly felt, and how emboldened that made him. He cocked a brow at Seto, with a matching smile turning on the charm. "And what about _you?_ "

Seto choked as that angle was broached again. _And you made YOURself clear last night._ He locked indiscernible eyes with him.

Joey felt like pushing his luck. "And how am I not _fired_ after yesterday?"

 _Not dealing with that._ Neutrally, Seto resumed the command, "Out."

Joey chuckled to himself, but saw himself out. "You. Are. _Such_ an ASSHOLE." He held up his folder of contract papers as he left. "Thanks for the royalties."

Seto's hands flew to his hips as he thought through all his worries again. "WHEELER," he called him back, for insurance.

Joey stopped and looked back.

He turned on his most menacing, threateningly deep voice. "You'd lose her, too."

Joey glared right back at him. "Oh, _reeeally?_ " he said with mocking naivete, then snapped back to sarcasm with a scoff. "Maybe when you get back from Hong Kong you can teach me about different _Spell Speeds,_ too." He continued back through the door as he declared again, emphasizing it with a bob of his neck, " _ASS_ hole!" Although, he was gleefully smirking.

* * *

That evening, at Kaiba Corporation's Hong Kong Headquarters, Mai adjusted her short violet Cheongsam. A long gray dragon with violet eyes swirled around her torso in reflectively shimmery woven silk. She knocked meekly on Seto's office door.

"Jìn," Seto's voice carried through the door, with a Chinese accent but brusque as ever.

She pushed through the door as discreetly as possible, quietly side stepping into the room.

"Shénme-" He finally looked up. "Oh." Seto froze, wide-eyed and suddenly white as a ghost.

Mai stood perfectly straight, hands clasped in front of her, with worry plastered across her face. She was shaking.

"Mai?" He blinked in surprise at her state. He had lost the flashy red suit jacket and tie, keeping only the black dress shirt still tucked in, with forearm braces, and the red dress pants. "What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

"I… I need to talk to you."

Seto gulped and felt his spirit leave from those few small words. "About… what…"

Mai stayed frozen for a while, only licking her dry lips.

"Mai," he said graciously and carefully, "What... did you need to fly over to _China_ to talk to me about… In person?" He braced. _But, so much effort to come see ME this instant?_

She finally gulped and bit the bullet. "It's about Joey."

Seto looked away, but only briefly. The moment he thought of it in terms of losing a competition, he laser focused back on her, stern and serious. His voice turned confrontational. "What about Joey. What did he say to you yesterday?"

She deflated further. "He only said he wanted to be friends again."

"Just friends?" he snapped.

She winced. He stared at her helplessly. She wiped at an eye and sighed. "And then last night he told me that you knew he'd called me."

He looked away. "All _night,_ and-"

"But yes, just friends." _I can do this. I can be 'just friends' with him._ Picturing him would prove otherwise, if she were to be honest with herself.

He paused, then began again. "All night, and you didn't say anything? You knew you were keeping this from me- you _did_ know _I_ already knew and you _still_ didn't say anything?" He felt a mental kick in the head for the hypocrisy.

She rolled her eyes and hand around, but her pleading tone remained. "He's an old friend. You've known that. But you've always been respectful of my own life, my own, 'friends.' Why is Joey Wheeler a problem now?" _Other than the fact that you're right..._

He closed his eyes. _Because I also know he does love you._ "Because-..." He looked away as he bit his lip. "He's not just someone from work. He's not just an acquaintance." He finally locked eyes with her. "I know I never wanted to hang around them, but... I've always known that."

This time Mai pursed her lips and looked away. She sighed, then walked up to his desk, and laid her right hand out over a stack of papers. Barely audible, she breathed, " _You're right._ "

Seto blanched again; eyes wide, blood running cold, sweat forming on his brow. _She ADMITS it?!_ But it did not feel like winning.

Mai felt tears coming on as she choked out her confession. "The other day, I texted him for the first time since before Paradisa. We met up for coffee. That's why I got home late. The next day- yesterday- he called me during my meeting. He said he…" She fell to a whisper. " _That he loved me._ "

Seto leaned forward onto his desk, taking in all that she was saying while staring intensely into the wood.

"I didn't say anything," she was quick to speak up and clarify. "But last night I was texting with him, and then seeing him this morning…" She shook her head, hoping her plea would make sense. "I _love you,_ Seto, but now I don't wanna _deny_ and _hide_ this anymore."

Seto could not tell whether he felt like screaming or if he would collapse, or both. Both seemed a likelihood, given how his other most catastrophic losses had gone in the past.

Despite the worst possibilities hanging in the air, the couple locked eyes.

"That... sniveling, little _loser?!_ " Seto yelled and slapped the desk. "You _just_ told me _again_ that it wasn't true, but it was?! And now you STILL have FEELINGS for him?!"

With a deep breath, Mai raised her chin and puffed her chest out. His response to her mood had in turn prompted her own response to swing that mood. She slipped into resting bitch face, ready to attack or defend, to negate or redirect. "I've played my hand, and you bought my bluff. But I did nothing against you. I just wanted to _talk_ to you about it."

Seto took a step back and crossed his arms, offended that she had purposefully and successfully tricked him. "Well? TALK."

"I am JUST trying to be honest with you and not HIDE how I feel! So what if Joey Wheeler's in love with me?" Saying it somehow made it more real, and drove her frantic. "Since when do you care what guys are attracted to me?! Newsflash," she leaned forward cheekily, "A lot of them are."

His shoulders fell and he lifted his head high. "Since I thought I could trust you," he said quietly. "You understand the isolation, and the fronts I have to put up. I hoped you would be someone I could open up to, without harsh judgment, without worrying you'd try to ruin me or my image, and without any crazy voodoo involved. Not clinging to me, but not one to _betray_ me."

Hands on her hips, she cocked her stance. "I'm not your _therapist_. I'm supposed to be your _wife._ "

"Same thing!" he slammed his fist on his desk. "I'm doing the same for you!"

"And I haven't _betrayed_ you. But, so you wanted me because you thought I was _cold_ , but now you're complaining 'cause you think I'm being cold to _you?_ " She crossed her arms and cocked her hips in the opposite direction. "Well, at least we have that in common."

"So it seems." Seto turned away and ran his eyes over his desk. "What is it about him?" he mused out loud.

"Joey?" Mai's eyes finally softened. "He's sweet. He's caring. And he's not afraid to show it. He'd do, anything for a fr- _iend._ "

Seto's chest hitched at what she was referring to. He pushed off the desk and wandered over to the windows. Leaning on one arm against the glass, his other hand on his hip, he stared out, up to the night sky with a matching melancholy. "I know all that," he said slowly, licking his lips. "But do you know? What it feels like?"

"To lose your soul?" She hmphed. "Look at the crowd we were with. Been there, done that." She flipped some of her hair away from her face like it was no big deal; just a huge inconvenience.

"No, not to 'lose' your soul. To _sacrifice_ it."

She picked her head up, startled as she thought on there existing a difference.

"You have to be beyond sure of yourself, to know exactly what you want, but then admit that you can't do it as you are, and be willing to give up your _very existence_ in the name of what you want. Or have someone you can trust to carry on. There's no guarantee you'll make it back." He clutched his locket and closed his eyes a moment, then turned to face her once more. "Joey knows all of that, too. All too well."

Mai reflected on his little speech, but was confused as to why he suddenly seemed to be praising Joey.

"One time was even for you, as you've said."

Mai gasped at her memory of cradling him, lying in her arms, for her, but also because of her. "Yes..." Before that, it was him shielding her from Marik's attack with the Winged Dragon of Ra. "More than once, actually." _They said he fought Marik for me, but lost. And even in Duelist Kingdom, they still fought for me and could have lost their chances for their own wishes..._

"More than you even _know_." He looked away again and took a deep breath. "Dartz used avatars of you when Yugi and I dueled him. I attacked yours, but," he groaned with annoyance, "Completely out of the rules of the game! Joey's took the hit."

She looked away, embarrassed how she and Joey had ended up there, but wondering again about her last dream.

Seto walked up to her, stone-faced. "You _don't_ know what it's like." In his mind, though, confusion raged, different parts of himself smashing together, that he still did not know how to connect.

Mai leaned away, still defensive. "So are you still mad at me about him? We didn't _do_ anything, you know. You've got this whole city rigged anyway – check your cameras! Unless you really count _coffee_ as _cheating._ "

"I am not 'checking cameras' on you," he sneered with assertion, yet again offended at the idea. "But nah, that's not cheating," he shrugged with a snide smile. "Just, very interesting..." He began pacing.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What that means, depends on if you still want to be my wife."

She was taken aback, scoffing right off the bat. "I said I-"

But Seto interrupted her from answering for another moment. "Forget the prenup," he waved his arm away. "You'll get half of everything that's mine. That's a quarter of everything." He froze for a moment, unable to even fathom what that would mean for himself. He gulped. "Do you still want to stay."

She sighed, rubbed her temples, and plopped down on one of the two couches facing each other in front of his desk. She crossed her arms and legs, closing her body language off. "Of course I do."

"But why? I'm nothing like him, who you speak so fondly of."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're more like him than you know. And need I remind you, you were just speaking oh so fondly of him as well."

Seto snapped his eyes to her as his mind threw out an assumption. _She wants both of us._ His expression relaxed in revelation at the next thought after that: _So… what about both of us?_ He smirked, mysteriously, then sauntered over, and slid onto the couch beside her, his arm behind her shoulders. His mouth dove to her ear. "What _about..._ both of us?"

Mai laughed and jerked her head away to look at him. "Ah-pwha- What?!" she guffawed.

"If you could have both Joey and I, would you want that? Or just one of us?" He used his neutral matter-of-fact face again.

She fell serious. "What are you asking here?" She blinked fast and her cheeks reddened, as a single gasping moment of her sandwiched between them flashed across her mind. She pulled away, trying to compose herself.

"Tch," he smirked. "I think your face says it all."

But Mai's face quickly turned to worry and confusion. "What are you gonna do to him? I _don't_ wanna hurt him again."

"I won't hurt him," Seto rumbled in a soft voice, as he brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. He leaned into her side.

Mai pushed him away a little, leaving her hand on his chest. "Stop being weird. Is this a trap?"

Seto snorted at her blatantly asking if something was a trap. "No, it'd be a three-way. Or tag team, whichever. Whatever you want." _Not that I have_ that _much energy there, but then I wouldn't have to be_ as _involved…_ His imagination trailed off, none of it disappointing but instead looking promising. _If he can stop her nightmares, but I don't lose her, and maybe even…_ Things were suddenly snapping into place and finally connecting. He raised a hand to his chest, and clutched at the tie his fingers found over his heart.

She gawked at him, unwilling to entertain any ill-fated fantasy. Yet she found herself more and more shocked that he just might mean what he was saying.

"What?" he asked, ready to take it all back and say it was indeed a trick.

"You..." She hesitated, trying to recall any interactions she had ever witnessed between the two, which she could hardly. _At the Domino Pier, he helped in the overall rescue, but then during the finals, he let Joey nearly die simply because of duel regulations. I know Joey hates him, and has hated him for as long as I've known him, and even back then I could reason and guess as to why._ _Why would he be so interested in Joey?_ She decided to turn coy and take charge. She twisted in her seat and with a masterful grin, seductively stared him down. "Why the sudden interest in this? I mean- _you?_ Want to have a- a- _ménage à trois?_ With _Joey Wheeler?_ "

Seto immediately turned away, frowning and biting his lip. He fidgeted a bit, rubbing the lap of his dress pants, then jolted up to pace again. He only stopped when the placement of the coffee table and opposite couch between them felt natural. He stood behind the other couch, arms crossed, his stance that of waiting for a duel to begin. "Mai." His voice was quiet, but confident, and as softly straining, but affirming, as when he spoke to Mokuba. "As my wife, you're my family now. As part of my family, that means I will take care of you. Not because of any megalomaniac or patriarchal bullshit, but because it's my name to the company." He uncrossed his arms and leaned down on the back of the couch. "And taking care of you means meeting your needs. Continuing competing, stability, finding you your own place in the company so you're helping earn it, too. Your marketing and merchandise lines have done fantastic. Those are all great things. That all sound right to you?" He held his hand out, awaiting her response as if he had just played the simplest spell card, expecting to be shot down immediately.

She nodded, listening openly and intently.

"Then, what I need from you is to be _able_ to trust you. I _want_ to trust you. But-"

"Seto it was just coffee!" Her arms flailed in frustrated defense.

"That's- not what I mean. You're not untrust _worthy_. You say, 'Nothing happened,' I believe you. But it's..." His breaths came fast and sharp and shallow. He had to look down. "Me. It's– hard for me. To trust people."

She looked down as well. "I know, and I can definitely understand that."

His voice fell soft. There was no room for malice in the truth. "Do you really want to stay?"

Mai's eyes snapped to his, her jaw dropped. "Seto, I-"

"Forget Joey for the moment. If he was a nonissue, if maybe he had actually died in any of his close-calls, if not for him, could you be happy with me? Are you happy with me?"

She felt her heart hurt at the thought of Joey not making it out of those incidents alive. But still, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I made this decision despite Joey being alive and well anyway." She opened her eyes, but fixed them away from him. "I knew how closed off you were, too. But we connected so well… You've opened up to me, and I've opened up to you, and," she found his eyes again. "We've _been_ _great_. And I was too terrified to ever face him again, after what I did. So I-"

"But now you have faced him, and you still have feelings for him." Again, matter of factly, then waiting for a response.

Mai clammed up, her neck straining and face contorting, carefully looking out to the windows. A single finger dabbed at each eye to not mess up her makeup. But, she nodded sadly, sucking her lips in to bite down on. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I _love you,_ but, I'm sorry…"

"So, that is another one of your needs."

"What?" she coughed, not understanding.

"You're content here-"

"I _have_ been able to _thrive_ here!" she countered.

"EXCEPT for not being able to express your feelings for Wheeler." They stayed locked in a stare as they resolved their words. Mai could not defend against his final statement, and they both knew it. "You love _him,_ too."

Mai's wet voice merely added, " _Still_."

With her confirmation of what he already knew, Seto continued, "I know you're right that we are similar in a lot of ways, but we are also vastly different. If there's something he can give you that I- let's be honest- could never, then why should I deny you that?"

She thought a moment about how he explained it. "Do you mean, an 'open marriage?'"

Again, he turned away and crossed his arms, but this time had nothing else to elaborate on. He had opened up a can of worms, uncharted territory: single print cards, new summoning methods. And all as if they were written in an unknown language. Neither knew the rules here. All they could do was see how things played out.

Mai shook her head. "The media would go crazy. It'd look awful. Seto, thank you, for- for wanting to _care_ for me so much, but I _really_ don't think that's exactly a good idea. And Darling, I-..." She jumped to her feet and rushed over to embrace him, around his folded arms. "I don't want you to ever think you're not enough for me." _Compromise..._

His arms opened up to return the embrace and clutch her closer, as his face hid in her shoulder. _But I'm_ not _enough…_ After a moment, he took a deep shuddering breath. "Alright." He picked his head up and searched her sweet expression, as they still held each other. "Final card's on the table."

"Hm, and what's that?" she mused.

He glanced away and licked his lips, then looked hard into her eyes. Flatly, he stated, "I want him, too."

Mai blinked at him, in utter shock, her mouth hanging open again, speechless for what seemed like an eternity. _I…_ Her mind was suddenly empty. _I must have not heard him correctly, because it sounded like-_

"Say something," he hissed in a low voice through gritted teeth.

"Did you just say _you_ want him, too?" she asked, confused.

He sealed his lips again, but nodded.

"Like-?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed with agitation, more terrified every millisecond than the last and rued to repeat it.

"I- uhh... I had no idea- I never would have-" She glanced all around, but landed back on his ice blue eyes. "You never told me," she said gently. He was always so guarded, and sometimes she still found him hard to read deeper into. She was certain there were no signs she would have picked up on. "You really did mean the three of us. Together."

His expression drained, for this secret rare moment of feeling loved and accepted. He nodded.

Her face wrinkled into confusion and worry. "Does he like..." She trailed off, not sure how to ask. "I mean, I thought he hated you. And Joey–" Her eyes quirked as she paused abruptly and thought about it. "Do you know if _Joey_ even likes guys?"

"Men and women, yes. He still hates me, though; I guess with good reason. But lately... I wish he didn't." Seto looked away and brushed his hand through the side of his hair in uncertainty.

Mai tilted her head and quirked her brow. " _And_ girls?"

"That's always seemed apparent," Seto shrugged towards her. "Obviously."

"Well," she smirked gently at him. "Wouldn't be the first surprise like that around here."

Seto gulped, and struggled to continue on. "I... met with him, too, actually. Recently."

"Oh?" Mai was suddenly extremely intrigued. "He didn't say anything about _that…_ "

"It was… about more than the modeling." Seto backed up from her, ready for his final judgment, for his heart and actions to be weighed. "I kissed him."

Mai's mouth fell open, but she quickly put two and two together. "You weren't mad about _me_ having feelings for him – you're mad about _you_ having feelings for him!" Yet, she was laughing; albeit, _harshly_. " _YOU_ cheated, not _me!_ "

He took the laughter as mockery, as her victory over him. He sighed deeply and dropped his head in a one way nod, admitting defeat towards an empty dark corner of the room. _Am I still doing it? Narcissistic and projecting?_ He hiccupped on his breathing. Once his face cracked, he lost it. " _Mai..._ " His voice was haggard as if he were crying; though, no tears were coming. "I didn't know what to do about…" _my feelings…_ "It all, either."

Her heart was with him, but, while she could easily get over the action, she would not stand for half-assed excuses about lying. She turned a stern look on him. " _I_ was just trying to repair a _friendship!_ What did you think _you_ were going to do?! If you- and him- if you two..." She trailed off, suddenly aching with confusion herself.

"I-... don't know..." He looked to her, biting his lip as his face grew too warm. "But what is it to you? What does it matter to you?" She tried to start to answer but he continued, suddenly bursting with a gasp. "What does it matter, if you don't even want _ME?!_ " He could not say it to her face, mostly because he crumpled down to one knee. _He doesn't, and now if she-!_

Shocked, Mai's body jolted to run to him, but she stayed frozen, not sure what to do. "I never said I don't-"

"IF _I was enough_ , you wouldn't need anything else in the first place." His hands completely covered his face, hidden deeper as he curled in on himself. "That's why I said," he strained. "Take half. Just go. Just- _DO IT!_ " He took in a trembling breath for the last cry, "And _go…_ "

Inside, a spell broke, and unleashed his oldest demon. His face and body contorted wretchedly, almost trying to force himself to cry, but still unable to do so. This world fell away, and he was 10 again; his wealth confiscated, and him abandoned. He knelt beside a bed, crying over a ransacked shoebox. He thought he had them this time; he had watched their aunt carefully, then swiped her card, figured out how to get there, and how an ATM worked. He knew what was supposed to his. He felt so proud- until that moment when he realized he had been found out. They had promised them everything, but still they left them with nothing, only waiting to be sent away again.

Mai watched him, unsure of what she was seeing. _He never cries. Is he going to now? And- he's pushing me away?_ Finally, she could not let him go on like this a moment longer. With a scoff, she boldly approached him and stood tall with arms crossed. She sighed, then commanded, "Get up. I'm not taking your money- I was _never_ here to steal your _money_. Or shares or stocks or bonds or whatever. I said, ' _Get up!_ '" She tried bending down to him, grabbing an arm and pulling it away from him.

Seto recoiled.

She continued, "Do you really think I'd do that?!"

He dry-sobbed in his panic again, yelling, "I don't _know!_ "

"Well then whatever is going on in your head right now is not true. I'm not leaving you. Seto!"

He at last picked his head up. "Why not?"

Mai's voice softened for him. "Because I love you," she asserted. "All of you. Even whatever's got you freaking out right now. I know you're messed up. So am I. What kind of sense would it make if I left you in your panics, over kissing a guy I wanna kiss too?"

Seto stared at her in disbelief. _She's…_ okay _with all this?_

She sympathetically grinned ear to ear, softening up herself. "No one can be absolutely everything another person needs. Don't you see? You _are_ enough. And you don't see me lamenting _I_ can't give you what _Joey_ can." She smirked.

He thought deeply on what she had said, then finally stood up again.

"Your life isn't over, not even just because you _cheated_ one time," she soothed with a one-note chuckle. She held his arms and smiled. "If this is what would make you happiest, then who am I to deny you that?"

He jerked his full attention back to her face, shocked, but felt some kind of goodness washing over him. He calmed down, and shyly allowed the corner of his mouth to turn upwards. "Thank you."

"Well, I'm your wife, aren't I?" she smirked. "That makes you my family."

"And Joey?" he asked cautiously.

She cooed. "And Joey." Her fingers moved to trace his jaw. "If he wants," she chuckled.

He finally sighed in full relief. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered back, right before their lips met for a lingering kiss. When she pulled away, she put on a mock-thoughtful face to crack a joke. "Although, they do _sell_ things I could wear to help you with that."

Seto's brow jumped in a scandalized and pitiful laugh, but one that brought him out of the tension. She joined him in chuckling breezily. With a sigh, he leaned his forehead to hers and held her hands. "Let's head back to the airport."

* * *

 **A/N:** Eh, hope that last ⅓ was understandable… and flowed decently? That last scene was among the first I wrote over 2 years ago. I then rewrote it entirely, and edited them together nearly beyond recognition from the originals. But originally Mai was going to be a lot harsher at first, really angry, and overall her and Seto were going to have a colder relationship that only seemed all daisies on the surface. Til I fell in love with Arrogant too, so, deep love it was. Luckily he's still insecure, and I employed some save-my-ass writing tricks to keep everything I wanted.

However, PLEASE! Constructive critique always welcome! Mark me up like the teacher just made us trade papers in English Class.

Come find me at _kaiba-fangirl_ on tumblr!


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